East Clare Heritage was formed in 1989 as a not for profit voluntary group, with the primary
objective of protecting, promoting and ultimately creating access to the vast heritage of
East Clare. Just two years later,the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, opened the East Clare
Heritage Centre at St. Cronán’s 10th Century Church. Since then, the committee have published
11 editions of the acclaimed historical journal ‘Sliabh Aughty’, six publications on local
history and many other heritage projects dedicated to the promotion of heritage in East Clare.
Another significant project undertaken by us, Cathsaoireach, was the restoration of a famine
graveyard in Tuamgraney in the mid 1990’s. It stands as a memorial to the thousands who were
buried here during the Irish Famine and is also a testament to the dedication of a committed
group of volunteers. We have continued against the odds to keep the heritage centre open on
a seasonal basis for almost 15 years and recently become a sponsor of a FÁS scheme to
support this major cultural initiative.
As well as holding an impressive series of lectures on subjects like Biddy Early,
Robert Emmet and Life in Celtic Ireland, East Clare Heritage has recently organised a
variety of cultural workshops at the centre throughout the year to engage schoolchildren
with their local heritage. The community has also enthusiastically received one of our
most recent initiatives, a series of Irish language classes at the centre. This all forms
part of the committee’s outreach policy of providing an educational as well as a
recreational resource for both the locals and visitors to East Clare.
East Clare Heritage, since its inception in 1989, has been extremely active in facilitating
both intellectual and physical access to the heritage and history of East Clare. Given their
voluntary capacity the committee have achieved extraordinary success in promoting the
importance and creating accessibility to the heritage of East Clare.
The East Clare Heritage Company is a totally voluntary and community based Company
dedicated to giving a future to our past. The Company was formed in 1989 and within
three years a 10th century church at Tuamgraney, County Clare was re-furbished for
use as a Heritage Center. In 2002 East Clare Heritage Company received charitable status.
The President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, officially opened the Center in June 1991.
Visit http://homepage.tinet.ie/~eastclareheritage/ for more details.
