Bats project in Offaly recognised as runner-up at 2025 Heritage Awards

“FOR the love of Bats” by Ballycumber Tidy Towns was deemed as runner up in the 2025 Water Heritage Awards, which were presented recently.

The winners of the National Heritage Week Awards 2025 were announced at a ceremony at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin. The awards are run by The Heritage Council, which promotes awareness of the importance of Ireland’s heritage to communities across the island.

“For the love of Bats” by Ballycumber Tidy Towns and Freshwater Ballycumber Brosna, who were a runner up for the Water Heritage Award, held a family-friendly celebration that combined biodiversity education with community art. It featured bat foraging activities, a fancy dress competition, face painting, a treasure trail, and the unveiling of a community-created mosaic mural. Leading up to the event, local schools and community groups participated in mosaic workshops to design and craft individual tiles, which collectively formed the mural displayed on the day.

Funded by LAWPRO, the Water Heritage Award recognises projects and events that explore, celebrate, and protect Ireland’s waterways, highlighting the importance of rivers, lakes, canals, and coasts in our heritage. The events shortlisted for the Water Heritage Award took place during National Heritage Week from August 16th-24th 2025, culminating in Water Heritage Day on August 24th 2025.

The 2025 National Heritage Week Awards featured a wide range of national categories, reflecting the diversity of heritage across Ireland — from themes like Exploring Our Foundations, Wild Child, and Water Heritage, to Inclusive Heritage, Irish Language, Sustainability and Climate, and Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The awards celebrate the passion and commitment shown by individuals and communities across the country in protecting, sharing, and showcasing Ireland’s rich heritage. This year’s National Heritage Week was the biggest yet, with over 2,500 events registered and 400,000 people taking part in family-friendly activities that celebrate Ireland’s built, cultural, and natural heritage.

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The overall winners were:

• A.K. ILEN, Ireland's last wooden ocean-going ship, from the Sailing Into Wellness group from Co. Cork won ‘The Exploring Our Foundations Award’.

• Wild Child Day - All about Otters from the Maigue Rivers Trust from Co Limerick won the ‘Wild Child Award’.

• Mealagh Valley Heritage Day from the Mealagh Valley Community Centre from Co. Cork won the ‘Inclusive Event Award’.

• Celebrating Irish Road Bowling at Ballyvolane House from Ballyvolane House in Co. Cork won the ‘Intangiable Cultural Heritage Award’.

• Paddling the Past - A Heritage kayak tour of the River Bride from the Conna Community Council Cork won the ‘Water Heritage Award’.

• Toibreacha Beannaithe Chontae na Gaillimhe from Galway County Council in Co. Galway won the ‘Irish Language Award’

• Native Woodland Re-Establishments from Woodlands of Ireland in Co. Sligo won the ‘Sustainability & Climate Award’.

Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, said: “The Heritage Council would like to extend its warm congratulations to the runners-up of this year’s National Heritage Week Awards. The standard of entries was exceptionally high, and the projects recognised as runners-up demonstrated remarkable creativity, commitment, and community spirit. Each of them made an outstanding contribution to celebrating and safeguarding Ireland’s heritage. We are deeply appreciative of the passion and dedication shown by all those involved, and we take great pride in supporting their efforts to keep our shared heritage alive for future generations.”

Offaly Co Council Heritage Officer, Amanda Pedlow, said: “I am very proud to say that For the Love of Bats in Ballycumber, County Offaly, was recognised as a runner-up in the National Heritage Week Awards. This delightful family-friendly event combined biodiversity education with community art, featuring bat foraging activities, creative workshops, and the unveiling of a community mosaic mural celebrating local wildlife. Congratulations to everyone involved for their dedication, creativity, and commitment to preserving and sharing our natural heritage.”

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