Pictured at Monaghan Peace Campus yesterday, September 2, at the announcement by the Heritage Council of plans to establish, for the first time, an all-island network for local authority heritage professionals, are: Author and former BBC journalist Fergal Keane; Cathaoirleach of Monaghan Co Council Aidan Campbell; Chief Executive of the Heritage Council Virginia Teehan and Chief Executive Monaghan Co Council Robert Burns. Image: Marc O'Sullivan.

All-island heritage network announced in Monaghan

Published: Thu 3 Sep 2026, 11:58 AM

Last updated: Thu 3 Sep 2026, 11:59 AM

Plans to establish the first all-island network of local authority heritage professionals have been announced at the Heritage Council's inaugural all-island conference, Shared Island: Building Connections, Exchanging Knowledge, at Monaghan Peace Campus, yesterday, September 2.

The new network will bring together Heritage Officers from Ireland's 31 local authorities and staff with heritage-related roles from the 11 local authorities in Northern Ireland. It will form the centrepiece of the Shared Island Heritage Networks Programme, led by the Heritage Council and funded through the Shared Island initiative.

Monaghan County Council Chief Executive Robert Burns welcomed the move, highlighting the growing role local authorities play in protecting and promoting heritage.

"Local authorities have an important role to play in protecting, managing and celebrating the heritage of the places and communities we serve," he said.

"Having dedicated heritage expertise within our organisations helps us to integrate heritage into wider priorities, from regeneration and placemaking to biodiversity, climate action and community development. Creating opportunities for local authority heritage professionals to share experience, learn from one another and build stronger connections across the island can only strengthen the work being delivered at local level."

The conference is focusing on the strategic role of local authorities in supporting and delivering heritage as responsibilities across built, natural and cultural heritage continue to expand.

A panel discussion featuring Mr Burns, Alison McCullagh of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and Lar Power of Kilkenny County Council is exploring how heritage is led, resourced and delivered across the island, along with opportunities for greater collaboration and shared learning.

Author and former BBC journalist Fergal Keane is delivering the keynote address, while former RTÉ News presenter Bryan Dobson is acting as MC.

The all-island network will sit at the heart of the Shared Island Heritage Networks Programme, which is currently in development. The Heritage Council said it will work with local authority heritage professionals and other stakeholders over the coming months to shape how the network will operate.

Other strands of the programme include funding for collaborative all-island heritage projects, an annual all-island conference and the development of a publicly accessible digital repository for local authority heritage material.

Heritage Council Chief Executive Virginia Teehan said the initiative would create new opportunities for professionals north and south to connect and learn from one another.

"The Shared Island Heritage Networks Programme builds on that work by creating new opportunities for local authority heritage professionals in Ireland and Northern Ireland to connect, share knowledge and learn from one another," she said.

"At its heart will be a new all-island network to support ongoing professional exchange and collaboration. We are delighted to be leading the development and delivery of the programme, and today's inaugural conference is an important opportunity to bring people together, strengthen existing relationships and create new connections across the island."