Abarta Heritage is delighted to be awarded the contract to manage the Irish Walled Towns Network

The Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN) was established by the Heritage Council in 2005 to unite and coordinate the strategic efforts of Local Authorities involved in the management and conservation of historic walled towns across the island of Ireland. The role of the IWTN has developed over the last number of years and it now strives to make historic towns better places to live, work and visit. Currently, 29 towns form the network across the island of Ireland (both north and south). Many of these towns have suffered from high vacancy rates, business closures and neglect of their historic fabric, the IWTN now promotes heritage as having a central role to play in improving the socio-economic outlook for these historic towns.

The IWTN has very successfully fostered a collaborative, bottom-up approach towards the care and conservation of these valuable aspects of our heritage. Through funding, advice, mentoring and guidance the IWTN works with member towns to aid regeneration and conservation projects, to raise awareness about the heritage of the towns, to create a sense of place amongst community groups as well as publishing advisory information about the care, conservation, regeneration and interpretation of these places. Over the past number of years, the IWTN has created the world’s largest collection of advisory youtube videos relating to the urban renewal of towns.

Commenting on the appointment of Abarta Heritage, Roisin Burke said:

“We are thrilled to have been awarded the contract to manage one of the Heritage Council’s flagship built heritage projects. The IWTN is an exceptionally important programme which enables the conservation, interpretation and promotion of these wonderful reminders of our medieval past. We look forward to continuing the excellent work that has been undertaken on the programme to date and developing additional methods of maximising the beneficial impact of the programme on participating walled towns and the communities that live within them.”