New Foundations project highlights citizen humanities and Ireland’s minor placenames

As the New Foundations Research Ireland project, funded under The Heritage Council strand, draws to a close, we in the School of History and Geography are pleased to highlight key outputs and public-facing activities that have underpinned the project’s work on promoting and facilitating the recording of Ireland’s minor placenames.

Dr Jonathan Cherry, working in collaboration with DCU Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge, Dr Brian Ó Raghallaigh, Kate Murphy, and Dr Diarmaid Ó Maoileoin, has produced an illustrated guide titled Minor placenames in Ireland: a guide to promoting and facilitating ‘citizen humanities’ in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. The guide is freely available online and provides an accessible introduction to minor placenames as vital components of Ireland’s cultural landscape and intangible cultural heritage. 

A core element of the project involved engagement with the national network of local authority heritage officers, who play a pivotal role in heritage promotion. Workshops brought together over 80 participants from local authorities, as well as local history and heritage groups, to explore practical approaches to collecting minor placenames.

The project also leveraged the Meitheal Logainm.ie platform, which supports the decentralised collection and dissemination of minor placenames, strengthening links between academic research, local authorities, and community heritage initiatives.

Comhghairdeas a Jonathan.