Ring of Gullion Funding 2 August 2012
Ring of Gullion LP, Newry and Mourne – first–round pass of £1,040,200, including £60,200 development funding
Newry and Mourne District Council has received an earmarked first–round pass of £60,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) through its Landscape Partnership (LP) programme for the Ring of Gullion project, it has been announced. The project aims to conserve built and natural heritage, increase community participation in local heritage, and increase access to and learning about the landscape and its heritage.
Development funding of £6,200 has also been awarded to help Newry and Mourne District Council progress their plans to apply for a full grant at a later date.
The partnership aims to address the threats and opportunities to protect the landscape of the Ring of Gullion and raise awareness and encourage local community involvement in the historic, cultural and environmental features of the Ring of Gullion. The partnership will create more opportunities for physical, intellectual and sensory access to the Ring of Gullion, and highlight its recreation potential, local culture and its internationally important biodiversity and geology. This will ensure that high quality up to date training and skills required to address the above are all available locally.
The scheme will provide training opportunities in local heritage skills and Local Historical and heritage guides as well as many other opportunities for local communities to benefit from.
Mayor, Councillor John McArdle said, “”This is excellent news for the area. It is a welcome opportunity to make a significant difference to south Armagh. The landscape partnership is a really worthwhile project allowing maximum engagement with the local communities.”
The Ring of Gullion is one of only a few small areas in Ireland to have so clearly retained its local identity. People have lived in the area for over 6,000 years and have expressed their feelings about the landscape through the ages in local literature, poetry, music, folk history and art. This thriving cultural heritage has survived to the present day.
