Carlow project highlighted in new booklet celebrating 25 years of Heritage Officer work

To mark twenty-five years since the Heritage Officer Network was founded, the Heritage Council launched a publication 'Opening the door to Ireland’s heritage' which featured a Carlow project.

The publication features Carlow project 'Rathanna National School – Memories of Our School Days.'

'This project brought past teachers, pupils and their families together with the aim of capturing their stories and memories, and to create a digital record of local social history for future generations.'

'In their own voices, the project recorded memories of pupils writing on slates with chalk, lighting coal fires in the classroom to keep warm during the cold winter months, drawing buckets of water from a well in a nearby field and getting ready for visits from the school inspector – dreaded by both pupils and teachers.'

The school closed in 1968 forcing pupils to transfer to Borris National School.

Speaking on the launch of the booklet, Heritage Officer for Carlow County Council Eoin Sullivan said, 'It is deeply satisfying to see documented in this publication the influence of the Heritage Officer Network in shaping our approach to heritage conservation and protection. Although we work as individuals at local authority level, what is clear from these pages is that the real strength of the Network is in the collective. These stories cover only a snapshot of recently completed projects from current heritage officers, so when we factor in the hundreds of past projects completed since 1999, it brings into the focus the enormous impact that the Local Authority Heritage Officer Programme has had.'