A DECISION on the inclusion of Holy Island and the cultural landscape of the Burren Uplands on a new Tentative List of potential World Heritage Properties for Ireland has been pushed back until June.
An announcement was due to be made this month to determine if the six applications for UNESCO World Heritage status were successful but this has been delayed to allow for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to get an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to undertake a further technical assessment.
Along with the two Clare sites, the application also includes the Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo, the Transatlantic Cable Ensemble (Valentia & Newfoundland), Glendalough Valley (Wicklow) and the Royal Sites of Ireland (Dún Ailinne, Hill of Uisneach, Cashel, Rathcroghan Complex, Tara Complex, and Navan Fort).
Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) received confirmation from the Department that only the Sligo application “sufficiently demonstrated Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), which is key in UNESCO’s World Heritage requirements in determining what sites should be included on the Tentative List”.
He continued, “The EAG has determined that there is more work to be done by the other applicants to see if they could sufficiently demonstrate OUV. In addition, the EAG also considered that the full implications of being a World Heritage Property in terms of long-term management, protection and conservation, alongside capacity building and the resources needed to progress any future World Heritage nomination dossier required further consideration by all applicants”.
Should either Inis Cealtra or the Burren receive this designation from UNESCO, Deputy McNamara maintained it “would have significant positive impact on tourism in the county, particularly considering the challenging environment in which the sector was now operating. World Heritage Properties are sites of cultural and/or natural heritage designated by UNESCO to be of outstanding universal value to humanity”.
Currently, Ireland has two properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Brú na Bóinne and Sceilg Mhichíl – both of which were inscribed in the 1990s.
“Studies show that most locations get a 30% increase in tourism numbers in the year following their designation as UNESCO world heritage sites, and I am sure this growth could be sustainably managed at Clare’s two sites. I look forward to outcome of the Department’s review in June,” the Scariff TD stated.
In a written response to Deputy McNamara, Minister Darragh O’Brien (FF) stated, “Given the issues raised by the EAG, and having engaged further with all the applicants over recent weeks, my Department has reconvened the EAG to offer further detailed technical advice and support to all applicants, so they may attempt to address issues raised in terms of the EAG recommendations, and to offer further specific advice and guidance in terms of the future management of a World Heritage Property.”
He continued, “I anticipate that this current support process will be concluded around June 2022, and I would intend to make an announcement then on the composition of a new Tentative List. It is important to reiterate that only those sites whose applications – by the conclusion of this new support phase of engagement – clearly demonstrate OUV will be included on the new Tentative List. If by the conclusion of this current process, any applications require yet further work to determine eligibility in terms of OUV we will continue to offer our support.”
“It should be stressed that if any application does not demonstrate OUV for UNESCO World Heritage process purposes, this does not in any way lessen the significance of the site in terms of its heritage and meaning to those communities who care passionately about them; in such a case we would continue to offer our support in whatever way we can to ensure that this ambition for our wonderful heritage is recognised,” concluded Minister O’Brien.
