Shannonside Heritage is a local voluntary group who came together in late 2005 to promote the rich cultural heritage in the Lanesborough/Ballyleague area. The aim of the group is to highlight awareness of the local heritage and encourage and educate all who would be interested in their local history and environment, to help preserve and appreciate the need to maintain and ensure its future.
Shannonside Heritage are an important local resource for researching, gathering and archiving any local historical information for preservation and use in the future. To date the group has worked primarily in conjunction with National Heritage Week as well as independent shows and events to maintain interest.
Shannonside Heritage was the first group to design and produce a calendar which featured old, historic and some contemporary photographs of Lanesborough and Ballyleague and ran with this for two years. The group has mounted several exhibitions during National Heritage Week along the themes of the famine, local history, commemorating Fr Joseph Mullooly and the history of Lanesborough Bridge from the Viking times. A few years ago, the group commissioned and erected a memorial to the Ferry Boat Tragedy of 1701 on the banks of the Shannon which was launched with a memorial service to the drowned. They have produced an illustrative tourist map distributed locally and still available.
The group have also held a very successful annual concert of traditional music and storytelling with local musicians performing as well as several other fundraising events.
Chairperson: Sarah Crinigan 087 819 7164