Nominations open for 2025 National Heritage Week Awards for Kildare

The Heritage Council has announced that nominations are now open for the 2025 National Heritage Week Awards.

Communities, organisations, and individuals across Co Kildare are invited to submit nominations to recognise the most engaging projects and events presented during National Heritage Week.

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.

In 2025, there were 102 events in Co Kildare.

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The Heritage Council presents a County Award in each Local Authority Area. This award recognises the best event or project in Co Kildare and is based on how well it raised awareness about an element of heritage, how it was promoted, and the extent to which it engaged and involved the community.

The County Award ensures that outstanding heritage work at local level is recognised and celebrated alongside national achievements.

Last year, the Willow Workshop from the John Sullivan (IWA) Resource Centre won the County Award for Co Kildare.

In addition to the County Award, the 2025 National Heritage Week Awards feature a wide range of national categories, reflecting the diversity of heritage across Ireland. Categories include:

• Exploring Our Foundations Award – This is presented to an event that made a special effort to incorporate the 2025 National Heritage Week theme, Exploring Our Foundations. Events in this category should encourage attendees to delve into the building blocks of our heritage, uncovering not only the physical structures that surround us but also the cultural and natural elements that have shaped our communities over time.

• Wild Child Event Award – This recognises events that took place on Wild Child Day, 23rd August 2025, which successfully encouraged children and families to get outdoors and discover the richness of natural heritage and biodiversity in their local area.

• Water Heritage Award – This is awarded in conjunction with the Local Authority Waters Programme and recognises events held on Water Heritage Day, 24th August 2025. Eligible events will have explored how rivers, canals, lakes or the sea shaped the heritage of a locality, or celebrated water as an integral and vital part of Ireland’s natural heritage.

• Inclusive Heritage Award – This is awarded to an event that made a special effort to ensure heritage was shared with everyone in the community. This includes newcomers to heritage, those without local roots, people with additional accessibility needs, and participants across a wide range of age groups.

• Irish Language Award – The award is presented to an event that was delivered through Irish and/or encouraged active participation in the Irish language as part of National Heritage Week.

• Sustainability and Climate Award – It recognises events that incorporated environmentally friendly practices to reduce carbon footprint and limit impact on the natural world.

• Intangible Cultural Heritage Award – The Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh Award – This celebrates events and projects that encouraged greater appreciation of Ireland’s intangible cultural heritage, such as crafts, skills, customs and practices passed down through generations.

Nominations are also open for the prestigious Heritage Hero Award, which honours an individual or organisation that has made an outstanding, long-term contribution to the protection and promotion of Ireland’s heritage. Unlike the other categories, this award is based solely on public nominations and is considered a lifetime achievement award.

Speaking on the opening of the nominations, Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, said: “The National Heritage Week Awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise the remarkable work of communities and individuals who bring our heritage to life. Year after year, we are inspired by the creativity, generosity and dedication shown by organisers across the country.

"These awards allow us to celebrate that spirit and to highlight the people and projects that inspire future generations to become custodians of our shared heritage. I encourage everyone to get involved and make a nomination.”

Kildare County Council Heritage Officer, Dara Wyer, said: "Heritage Week in Kildare highlighted the strength of community pride and the wealth of stories, places and traditions that define our county. From historic towns to natural landscapes, local groups and individuals work with great energy and imagination to share our heritage with others.

"The National Heritage Week Awards provides an opportunity to recognise that dedication and to celebrate the people who help keep Kildare’s heritage alive."

Nominations close at midnight on Thursday September 11 2025, and the winners will be announced at the National Heritage Week Awards Ceremony on Friday, 17th October 2025, at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.

Event organisers making a nomination should provide details of their project and, where possible, images from the event.

Members of the public are also encouraged to nominate both outstanding events and individuals they feel deserve recognition.

Nominations can be made here: https://www.heritageweek.ie/awards