Offaly’s Vernacular Heritage and how the State is Helping by Dr Barry O’Reilly

Offaly’s Vernacular Heritage and how the State is Helping by Dr Barry O'Reilly, Architectural Conservation Advisor, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Offaly has a rich heritage of vernacular buildings, in country and in town. The county displays a pleasant variety in the materials, techniques and forms that make up these traditionally-inspired buildings. Caring for this heritage involves cooperation between owners, craftspeople, the local authority and the State. Offaly is lucky in having a well-organized heritage scene, with its heritage officer, architectural conservation officer, historical society and various individuals, all of whom are playing their part. The Department of Heritage has also been working hard to improve the situation for vernacular buildings. This talk will provide a picture of Offaly’s vernacular heritage and an update on what the State is doing to help.

Dr Barry O’Reilly studied archaeology and folklore/folklife in UCD and has been enthusing about our built vernacular heritage and allied topics ever since. He has spoken and lectured widely on these matters throughout Ireland and abroad and published two books, Living under Thatch (2004) and Ballyknockan: a Wicklow stone-cutters village (1997), numerous articles for academic journals, and is editor for Europe for the new edition of the Encyclopaedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World. Barry works for the NIAH. He has a particular interest in vernacular settlements/ hamlets which was the basis of his PhD thesis at Oxford Brookes. He compiled A Living Tradition: A Strategy to Enhance the Understanding, Minding and Handing on of Our Built Vernacular Heritage (2021).

This talk is presented by the Irish Georgian Society and its Birr Chapter in partnership with Offaly County Council and is a follow up action of the Offaly's Heritage Buildings Show which took place in Birr in June 2024 with funding from The Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The talk is delivered as part of National Heritage Week 2024.

Venue: John's Hall, John's Mall, Birr, County Offaly, R42 Y927 (please note that this is an inperson talk only and will not be recorded)