Coastal heritage trail for Co Louth

A new visitor attraction for Clogherhead, Co Louth, capitalises on the rich fishing heritage of the village. Developed by the Clogherhead Development Group and supported by the North East Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG), the Coastal Heritage Trail provides information and directional signage, and is among the 142 projects funded in 2015 under the BIM initiative.

Oliver Kirwan, on behalf of the CDG, receives the North-East FLAG plaque from Catherine Barrett, BIM

Explaining the background, Oliver Kirwan, retired fisherman and volunteer with the CDG, said the objective is to preserve colloquial names and terms:

 “The ‘Kippern’ refers to a smokehouse where kippers were smoked. Like other forms of intangible cultural heritage, oral traditions are threatened by rapid urbanisation, large-scale migration, industrialisation and environmental change. We want to inform visitors of the rick heritage – even in a small village like Clogherhead.”

The welcome sign and map idenfities a starting point and various walks marked by wrought-iron finger posts to guide visitors “to a wee bit of Louth that’s off the beaten track,” he added.

Michael Keatinge, BIM Director of Fisheries Development, contratulated the CDG and said the project represented a “great example of a local initiative that can benefit from FLAGS.”

Funding from the NDP and the European Fisheries Fund is designed to enable coastal communities to develop bespoke projects and initiatives that work locally and deliver in terms of employment and revenue. Todate, BIM has administered over €856,000 in grand-aid across the six FLAG regions.