Communities Digitally Recording Heritage

Story Natural
Country
Ireland
Year
2019
Storyteller
Gary Dempsey
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Overview

The Digital Counties Initiative is a community focused project equipping Irish communities with the STEM skills to record and preserve their built heritage. Using photogrammetry and community spirit we have recorded heritage objects from all over Ireland, linking communities through their shared heritage stories.

The digital counties initiative builds on the Irish word for a work team, gang, or party, ' Meitheal ', a framework for cooperation between groups and individuals sharing a common cause. The project aims to nurture a local 'sense of place' and ownership in local heritage. Using accessible digital projects we strive to develop this local sense of heritage by engaging with local sites and artifacts. The Digital County Initiative is one of the flagship DH_Age projects in Ireland. Building from the success of individual digital heritage workshops in Roscommon and Galway ‘Digital Counties’ grew as an idea. Based on the Irish principle of 'Meitheal ', this project aims to create a locally curated digital museum for each Irish County. The project aims to train both professionals and heritage communities with the skills to develop their own digital heritage projects. The project began as series of free training days which were held in Roscommon County Library in spring 2015. Participants learned how to conduct a photogrammetry surveys and use the associated computer programs, along with traditional survey skills, which were put into practice through field trips. The training was funded by Roscommon County Council as an action of the County Roscommon Heritage Plan 2012-2016. The project has since grown to include several other Irish counties including Galway City and County, Cavan, Down, Donegal, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Mayo, Longford, and Limerick. Local communities are a key focus of the project. Local heritage is just as important as national heritage sites, and we are proud to support and promote local heritage sites throughout the country. During our fieldwork, and local workshops local communities have learned how to develop and mange their own digital projects. Learning new skills such as photogrammetry and improving photography skills. DH_Age also encourage best practice in heritage management and reporting. We have worked with the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland to develop CPD workshops in photogrammetry and laser scanning. This has led to an increase in Irish archaeological companies adding photogrammetry to their services. Several discoveries made during workshops and field work with communities have been reported to the National Monuments Service, using 3D models to demonstrate newly discovered features. 3D is allowing communities to create online virtual museums of lesser known sites and artifacts which helps us to generate a local pride in cultural heritage, and hopefully promote tourism. The project is supported by Sketchfab, which allows local communities to set up their own digital collection of heritage obejcts and present them freely online. The project has led to supportive connections between academics and communities working together to uncover local history which can be shared with everyone.

European Dimension

The digital Counties Initiative allows local Irish communities to share their heritage with other Europeans through the sektchfab website. This provides access to local heirtgae stories and helps to connect communities across Europe and the wider world though shared cultural objects.