Press Release: €30,000 in Grants Awarded for Water Heritage Day Events Nationwide

Funding awarded for events celebrating our waterbodies this National Heritage Week

Monday, 18^th August 2025: Today the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality, is awarding €30, 665.25 in funding for 82 events in 24 counties under the ‘Water Heritage Day Grants Scheme 2025’.

Under the grants scheme, local communities and groups were invited to apply for financial assistance to support the delivery of events and initiatives celebrating Water Heritage Day on Sunday, 24^th August.

Water Heritage Day celebrates water throughout Ireland, its history and heritage and our connections with it. Examples of projects approved for funding this year include:

• Monasterevin Blueway Kayaking Club are hosting a ‘Paddle Through the Past – A Heritage Kayaking Tour’ in Co. Kildare.
• Rathmullan Tidy Towns are hosting a ‘Beach Walk & Talk’ an exploration of nature on the seashore and sand dunes, discovering native plants & species’ in Co. Donegal.
• Camross Tidy Towns are hosting a workshop at the Aquatic Outdoor Classroom in Camross community park, exploring the Little Delour river in Co. Laois.
• Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark are hosting an event to raise awareness of the Artic char existence in Lough Mask and the threat of extinction in Co. Galway.

Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD welcomed this announcement: “The Water Heritage Day Grants Scheme gives communities and groups across Ireland the opportunity to organise events that celebrate and raise awareness about their local waterbodies. This grants scheme is an investment in the protection and restoration of good water quality nationwide.

It allows people to create connections with their rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and coastal waters in new and innovative ways. For example, in Cork, a grant award of €350 will support Wise Water Academy’s event celebrating the River Bandon.”

Held in partnership with The Heritage Council, Water Heritage Day takes place as part of National Heritage Week 2025, which runs from 16^th to 24^th August. The theme of Heritage Week 2025 is “Exploring Our Foundations”.

As part of Heritage Week there are awards for events held throughout the week. If you are holding a Water Heritage Day event you can submit your event to be considered for a Water Heritage Award. More information on the awards can be found here: www.heritageweek.ie/awards

ENDS

Full list of awards:

About Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) https://lawaters.ie/

Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water through catchment science and local community engagement. LAWPRO was established to fulfil requirements under the European Union Water Framework Directive and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. LAWPRO coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan.