Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Museum Services commissioned (under the PEACE IV Understanding Our Area programme), an audit of local community-based heritage resources (such as  heritage venues, trails, publications and online resources). There is a wealth of heritage and history across the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council area. One of the key aims of the audit is to bring these local venues and histories to the attention of visitors drawn here by top level tourist attractions, adding depth to visitors’ understanding and experiences of the Causeway Coast and Glens. At grassroots level, community and voluntary groups have been at the forefront of efforts to create resources that highlight and celebrate the history and heritage of their localities. A digital copy of the Heritage Audit can be found on the RESOURCES page.

During 2019, as part of this heritage audit, details of almost 130 resources were gathered into one central database (see below). 

You also can also CLICK HERE to open the interactive map in Google Maps. 

Under PEACE IV Understanding Our Area: People and Places, eighteen community-led projects received funding to create new heritage resources, including books, brochures, exhibition panels, oral history resources and trails. These resources cover many aspects of local heritage and history from prehistoric times right up to the twentieth century and are spread across the Causeway Coast & Glens area. Many are based on original research carried out by volunteer enthusiasts and they provide local insights about places and people of interest.

Details of these resources have been added to the interactive map, creating an online information resource which visitors can readily access and experience the stories of the area. The local heritage audit and database is an initiative that can be added to in the future as more projects are undertaken. If you are aware of a community heritage resource that does not appear here, please do get in touch with the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Museum Services.

Congratulating all involved in the project, Councillor Orla Beattie, Chair of the Peace IV Partnership said: “The Heritage Audit rightly identifies that while we live in a Borough globally renowned for sites like the Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Distillery, its history and heritage is vibrant, proud and local and spans centuries.”

“The inclusion of sites, places, heritage trails and historic churches is a credit to the curators of our local heritage, local people and committed volunteers. This audit is a repository that can grow and develop further, not to mention the huge Peace dividend that can come from a project such as this. Heritage and local history as a discussion point or opportunity to explore is, and will remain, an important and valid Peace-building tool.”

“Finally, much appreciation and gratitude must be shown to the SEUPB for making this publication a reality under Peace IV, the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Museums Services for enabling its delivery, to Abarta Heritage for its expertise in pulling this all together so beautifully and, finally, to the participants of this project, who will continue to keep their local heritage alive through their dedication and passion.”

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Councillor Sean Bateson said: “On behalf of council, I would like to highlight the huge contribution which PEACE IV funding is having on communities in Causeway Coast and Glens. The PEACE IV programme has seen investment across the area and this Heritage Audit is one of many important resources for the future produced under the Understanding Our Area programme. The resource is available now and I would encourage everyone to explore the contents and immerse yourself in the story of our fascinating area.”

Understanding Our Area: People and Places is a cross-community project supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It is also supported by the Executive Office NI and the Department for Rural and Community Development. This project was delivered by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Museum Services.