The first Heritage Plan in Laois was adopted in 2002 and completed in 2006. Some of the projects completed under the first Heritage Plan are listed below. Survey reports and publications on most of these reports can be downloaded or ordered from the Laois Heritage Office.
Collecting Information
Field Surveys were carried out of
- Eskers
- Hedgerows
- Countryside habitats
- Industrial heritage
- Mills
- Ecology and Industrial Heritage of the Mountmellick branch of the Grand Canal
- Traditional crafts
- Biodiversity data
- Microfilm and CD of burial register and part of Poor Law Union material
- Bannon collection catalogue
- Reports for St Peter’s graveyard Portlaoise
Raising Awareness
- Posters on architecture, archaeology and wildlife.
- Heritage Calendars 2004-2006
- Heritage programmes on Local Radio.
- Guide to Heritage Gardens.
- Laois Heritage Trail.
- Golden Mile of Laois Competition
- Portlaoise Heritage Trail.
- “Know your County” Tours
- Support for Tidy Towns
- “Dawn Chorus Day” walks
- Annual “Celebrating Laois Heritage” seminar
- Heritage Week events
Promoting Best Practice
- Museums Sustainability Study & Museums Network.
- Durrow Courthouse Conservation work
- Placenames Committee.
- Pilot studies: Village Design Statements, Wildlife audit, Tidy Towns Five year plan
- Memorial Recording Project.
- Reminiscence Project.
- Seminars & Workshops: Heritage Interpretation, Owners of Protected Structures, hedgerow training, Graveyards
- Heritage Appraisal of County Development Plan
The Laois Heritage Plan 2002-2006, a summary of achievements under the plan and the independent evaluation of the plan, carried out in 2006 are all available to download, or can be ordered directly from the Laois Heritage Office.