Useful Links

Useful Links and Online Resources

The Heritage Council of Ireland was established under The Heritage Act 1995. It is a public body whose mission is to develop a wide understanding of the vital contribution that our heritage makes to our social, environmental and economic wellbeing. It is also the coordinator for National Heritage Week which happens in August every year. 

The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a state initiative under the administration of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and established on a statutory basis under the provisions of the Architectural Heritage (National Inventory) and Historic Monuments (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1999. The NIAH identifies, records, and evaluates the post-1700 architectural heritage of Ireland, uniformly and consistently as an aid in the protection and conservation of the built heritage. NIAH surveys provide the basis for the recommendations of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to the planning authorities for the inclusion of particular structures in their Record of Protected Structures (RPS).

The Royal Irish Academy (RIA) is an independent, all-island learned society established under Charter in 1785. It has approximately 650 members, chosen for their distinguished contributions to scholarship and research in the sciences, humanities, social sciences and public service. RIA.ie contains the Irish Historic Towns Atlas Online: Longford.

An Taisce is the National Trust for Ireland and works to maximise appreciation of the interdependence of all elements of the biosphere together with a greater awareness of the damaging impacts of human activity on fragile ecosystems and the built environment. It also works to educate and advocate on behalf of present and future generations on the important choices we must make in search of a more environmentally sustainable future. 

Badger Watch Ireland is a non-profit organisation actively involved in badger conservation and badger welfare issues.

The Irish Wildlife Trust is a non-government organisation and charity founded in 1979 (Charity no:  20010966). The Irish Wildlife Trust aims to conserve wildlife and the habitats it depends on throughout Ireland while encouraging a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the need to protect it.

Birdwatch Ireland are the largest independent conservation organisation in Ireland. Its primary objective is the protection of wild birds and their habitats in Ireland. 

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) works to secure the conservation of a representative range of ecosystems to maintain and enhance populations of flora and fauna in Ireland, among other work.

Crann is Ireland’s leading voluntary tree organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of our trees, hedgerows and woodlands. It is a membership-based, non profit registered charity uniting people with a love of trees.

The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government is the Government department responsible for heritage.

Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland work to the charitable purpose of benefitting the community by the advancement of culture, heritage and sciences.

Dublin Civic Trust is an independent charitable organisation that works to identify, preserve and create awareness about Dublin’s architectural heritage.

Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species.

AskAboutIreland.ie is an initiative of public libraries together with local museums and archives in the digitisation and online publication of the original, the unusual and the unique material from their local studies' collections to create a national Internet resource for culture. It includes ENFO, the main resource for environmental information in Ireland.

Geological Survey of Ireland is Ireland's public earth science knowledge centre and is a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Hedgerows Ireland is an all-Ireland not-for-profit working to raise awareness about the value and appropriate management of hedgerows, promoting the craft and profession of hedge laying, and documenting our hedgerow heritage.

International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Ireland follows and comments on matters in regard to World Heritage Sites and Sites on the Tentative list in Ireland.

Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) is a voluntary organisation that advocates the use, maintenance, protection, restoration and improvement of the inland waterways of Ireland. 

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) represents all farmers, particularly dairy and livestock farmers. 

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) is Ireland’s largest farming representative organisation. 

Irish Georgian Society is a membership organisation whose purpose is to promote awareness and the protection of Ireland's architectural heritage and decorative arts.

Irish Museums Association promote and support the museum sector through activities that highlight the value of our collections and the contribution of museums to our society as places of learning, conservation, research, and interpretation.

Irish Peatland Conservation Council aims to protect a representative sample of the peatlands of Ireland for people to enjoy today and in the future.

The Native Woodland Trust is dedicated to the preservation of Ireland’s remaining ancient woodlands. 

National Biodiversity Data Centre is set out to acquire, collate, manage, validate and make available, data in respect of Ireland’s biodiversity in order to document wildlife resources and monitor and record changes over time. Through this work, it supports national initiatives to maintain and enhance biodiversity, including recording of species and habitat information relating to the terrestrial, freshwater, marine, rivers and wetland environments.

The National Monuments Service, part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, plays a key role in the protection of our archaeological heritage, including responsibility for archaeological issues arising at national monuments in state care and their conservation and management. The National Monuments Service is home to the Archaeological Survey of Ireland. 

Ordnance Survey Ireland is the Irish State's National Mapping Agency, essential to the infrastructural development of the country.

The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) supports the architectural profession, promotes the value that architecture brings to society for everyone’s benefit, and maintains the Register for Architects.  www.riai.ie 

Community Climate Coaches is an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in climate action, community-led development, and sustainability to build their skills and knowledge to encourage local climate action. 

The Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland is a national organisation for the recording and conservation of Ireland’s industrial past.

The International Convention of the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership nnion of government and civil society organisations working together to advance sustainable development and create a just world that values and conserves nature.  

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, or the Ramsar Convention, is an international agreement promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands. 

The Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) is a research performing organisation and national Trusted Digital Repository (TDR) for Ireland’s humanities, cultural heritage, and social sciences data.

The Tree Council of Ireland is a non-profit organisation that was set up in 1985 as an umbrella body for organisations involved in the establishment, management and conservation of trees in Ireland.

Waterways Ireland is the cross-border navigational authority responsible for the management, maintenance, development and promotion of over 1000 km of inland navigable waterways, principally for recreational purposes.