Bere Island Projects Group: List of achievements and projects completed

The following projects and achievements have taken place since the launch of the Bere Island Conservation Plan in 2003. All are a direct result of funding committed to the annual workplan by The Heritage Council.

Year	Achievement/Project Completed
Sept 2000	A public meeting is held on Bere Island to discuss the idea of a Conservation Plan in order to ensure the viability of the island community and put in place measures to protect its heritage and culture. The meeting was attended by the island community, The Heritage Council and Cork County Council.
Dec 2000	A Conservation Plan Steering Group is formed with participation from all major stakeholders. An audit is undertaken of all the island’s assets, heritage sites and a plan of action is circulated to the islands community.
Feb 2021	Heritage and architectural consultants are hired to oversee the project, and the Department of Folklore and Ethnology at UCC come onboard as advisors.
Oct 2021	The first draft of the Conservation Plan is circulated to the island community.
Nov 2002	A housing survey is undertaken of all island housing stock and the island community surveyed for their views on housing. A report is submitted to Cork County Council.
May 2003	The Bere Island Conservation Plan is officially launched by Minister Eamon O Cuiv TD.
2003	With funding from The Heritage Council, Bere Island Projects Group hire a Development Worker to implement the Conservation Plan Workplan.
2003	Bere Island Active Retirement Group formed.
2003	First community elections held for the Bere Island Projects Group committee.
2003	In partnership with Beara Tourism, Bere Island Projects Group negotiate a deal with Eircom and the West Cork Enterprise Board to upgrade the Bere Island telephone exchange for broadband.
2003	Bere Island Projects Group form a partnership with the Ireland Newfoundland Fund to form a theatre group on Bere Island. With support from the Tramore Theatre Group in Cuslett, Newfoundland the Bere Island Theatre Troupe is formed, the Troupe stage their first production on Bere Island in November 2003.
2003	Working with the National Monuments Service, Bere Island Projects Group secure funding to restore Ardagh Martello Tower. The tower is officially opened at a major heritage weekend on the Beara Peninsula to commemorate the O’Sullivan Clan which features a courtesy visit from the US Navy destroyer USS The Sullivans.
2004	BIPG join ISLA European Funding Network.
2004	With funding from the Ireland Newfoundland Fund, Bere Island Theatre Troupe travel to Cuslett Newfoundland to stage a joint production with the Tramore Theatre Group.
2004	Bere Island Projects Group secure planning and a power purchase agreement for a wind turbine on the island.
2005	Bere Island Projects Group secure funding to construct a recycling centre on the island.
2005	As a direct recommendation of the Conservation Plan, the Bere Island Aquaculture Group is formed and foreshore and aquaculture licences are applied for to cultivate scallops, oysters and seaweed.
2006	With assistance from Cork County Council, a survey of the island’s built architectural heritage is undertaken.
2007	Bere Island Projects Group are asked to take on responsibility for community development work on Whiddy and Dursey Islands.
2007	A review of the Conservation Plan is undertaken by Dr Harriet Emerson.
2007	A recommendation of the Conservation Plan was to build a dedicated heritage centre on Bere Island. Bere Island Projects Group secure funding fro ISLA and construction work starts on restoring the island’s former national school as a heritage centre.
2007	Bere Island Projects Group commission an ecological report on Lonehort Battery.
2007	Bere Island Projects Group form a partnership with island landowners, the Beara Breifne Way and Comhar na nOileain to launch a walkway scheme on Bere Island, giving more access to island heritage sites.
2008	A guide book The Bere Island Experience is launched.
2008	Donaldson Tourism and Heritage Consultancy are hired to prepare a 5 year tourism development for Lonehort Battery.
2008	Bere Island Projects Group arrange for an islander’s family collection of cine film from the 1950s, which features a number of island events and the community at the time to be digitised and the originals archived with the Irish Film Board.
2008	Bere Island Projects Group in partnership with the Department of Defence hold a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the Handover of Fort Berehaven.
2009	A database of all island artefacts, in public and private collections is created.
2009	The island graveyard is mapped.
2009	The organisers of the West Cork Fit Up Theatre Festival are facilitated to stage their first summer festival on Bere Island.
2009	Bere Island GAA Club is facilitated in constructing a new club house and GAA pitch.
2010	The West Cork Inter Agency group is launched of which Bere Island Projects Group are one of the founding members.
2010	The IRDA Energy Project is launched with Bere Island Projects Group and the island of Samos, Denmark to promote sustainable energy on small islands.
2010	President Mary McAleese officially opens the Bere Island Heritage Centre.
2011	Aquaculture licences are issued to the Bere Island Aquaculture Co-operative for cultivating scallops, oysters and seaweed.
2011	Bere Island Projects Group are asked to take on community development work for Sherkin, Long and Heir Islands.
2012	The West Cork Islands Community Council is launched, Bere Island Projects Group are one of the founding members.
2012	With LEADER funding Cronin Millar Consulting Engineers are appointed to prepare a feasibility study on Lonehort Battery.
2013	Bere Island Projects Group join SmileGov Energy project to trial smart energy technologies on islands.
2013	Michael Cates is appointed by The Heritage Council to undertake a report on heritage interpretation at Lonehort Battery.
2013	Bere Island Projects Group sign a licence agreement with the Department of Defence to restore and develop Lonehort Battery as a visitor attraction.
2013	The Bere Island Conservation Plan is awarded the Landscape Award at the European Landscape Convention.
2013	Bere Island Projects Group launches their programme for the Decade of Centenaries with a talk on the role of William Martin Murphy in the 1913 Lockout and his Bere Island connections (his parents were from the island).
2014	Bere Island Projects Group work in partnership with Cork County Council Arts Office on an artist in residence programme which culminates in a visual installation, ‘Vacant Spaces’ at Lonehort Battery.
2014	A survey of Higher Nature Value Farming is undertaken on Bere Island.
2014	Bere Island hosts a visit from islanders from the Danish island of Anholt. Bere Island and Anholt stage a joint entry in the Castletownbere St Patrick’s Day parade for which they win first prize.
2014	Bere Island Projects Group support St Michael’s National School pupils to publish their first book, ‘We Are Writers.’
2014	Bere Island Projects Group launch the Bere Island parkrun, the first parkrun to be held on an Irish island.
2014	Bere Island Projects Group in partnership with the World Community for Christian Meditation launch a Music into Silence Festival on Bere Island.
2015	In partnership with Cork County Council Arts Office, Bere Island Projects Group host an artist in residence programme which culminates in the Museum of Miniature exhibition, which later travels to all Irish islands.
2015	A review of the Bere Island Conservation Plan is undertaken.
2015	Bere Island are one of the founding members of the West Cork Islands Community Sports Hub which was set up with the Cork Sports Partnership.
2015	Bere Island Projects Group form the Bere Island Water Sports Club to instruct children and adults in sailing, kayaking and boat handling.
2016	Bere Island are announced the winners of the National Biodiversity Data Centre Islands BioBlitz Competition with 1178 species recorded on Bere Island.
2016	Bere Island Projects Group commemorate the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising and link with a Canadian theatre company to stage a performance of A Rose Upon the Blood, based on the story of Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford and starring islanders in some of the roles.
2016	Bere Island Projects Group host the list of the first (small) cruise ship to the island.
2016	A Celtic Calendar Festival is held celebrating key traditions in the Celtic Year.
2016	Bere Island Projects Group liaise with the Department of Agriculture and the IFA to deliver an islands payment rate under the areas for natural constraints scheme.
2017	As part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme Bere Island Projects Group hold a festival to mark the centenary of the presence of the US Navy on Bere Island in 1917.

2017	With funding from The Heritage Council’s community grant scheme, Bere Island Projects Group undertake a Dark Sky feasibility study and hold a series of astronomy events throughout the year.
2017	Bere Island Projects Group work with artist Paula Barrett to create a palette of colours based on the island landscape. A range of paints is created and island farm gates are painted using these colours.
2018	In partnership with the Department of Defence, Bere Island Projects Group hold an event to mark the 80th anniversary of the Handover of Fort Berehaven featuring a full military ceremony by Collins Barracks Cork and a fly past by the Irish Aer Corps.
2018	Bere Island Projects Group in partnership with University College Cork and the Madeira Institute of Interactive Technologies secure EU Horizon funding to set up a community radio station on Bere Island.
2018	Working with Failte Ireland, Bere Island Projects Group host a list to the island of International travel correspondents.
2018	To makr teh centenary of Armistice Day and as part of their Decade of Centenaries Programme, Bere Island Projects Group hold an event at Lonehort Battery and at the Bere Island graveyard where 14 Commonwealth War Graves are located.
2019	Phase one of the restoration of Lonehort Battery is opened by Minister Sean Kane.
2019	During Heritage Week Bere Island Community Radio is officially launched and the station holds it’s first live broadcast.
2019	Bere Island Projects Group are one of the finalists in the National Lottery Good Causes Awards.
2020	Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic Bere Island Projects Group support the island community by setting up a meals-on-wheels service for elderly islanders, providing a twice weekly shopping and prescription service to the mainland, and providing regularly Covid updates to the island community and the wider Beara Peninsula via Bere Island Community Radio.
2020	Bere Island Projects Group secure funding to purchase 1000 tree saplings and work with island landowners to plant these on their lands.
2020	Bere Island Projects Group approach the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to upgrade their licence for Bere Island Community Radio in light of the service the radio is providing during the pandemic and secure a 100 day broadcasting licence.
2020	With funding from The Heritage Council’s Community Access Funding Scheme, Bere Island Projects Group restore a former barrack room at Lonehort Battery.
2020	In partnership with Cork County Council Bere Island Projects Group open a children’s playground on the island.
2020	Bere Island Projects Group set up a remote training facility at the Bere Island Community Centre. Work is also undertaken to install a entranceway ramp to the community centre and disabled toilets.
2020	Bere Island Projects Group secure funding from the SEAI to develop an energy master plan for the island.
2020	The EU Energy Secretariat contracts Bere Island Projects Group to produce four energy podcasts which are also broadcast on Bere Island Community Radio.
2020	Bere Island Projects Group support the Bere Island Tourism and Environment Group in applying for funding to install PV panels at the island recycling centre so that it is powered entirely on renewable energy.
2021	Beara Community School in Castletownbere approach Bere Island Projects Group for their assistance in setting up a transition year training module in radio production techniques.
2021	As part of their Decade of Centenaries Programme, Bere Island Projects Group with funding from The Heritage Council’s community grant scheme produce a 30 minute documentary to mark the centenary of the Bere Island Internment Camp.
2021	With funding support from Cork County Council, Bere Island Projects Group unveil a plaque to mark the site where the Bere Island Internment Camp was located, the event is staged in partnership with the Department of Defence who provide a military guard of honour.
2021	Bere Island Projects Group host a visit to the island by Minister Heather Humphreys who also attends a remote cabinet meeting at the Bere Island Heritage Centre, the first time a minister has attended a cabinet meeting remotely from an Irish island.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group join the Burren Beo Trust’s Heritage Keepers programme and formulate a plan to record the island’s oral history.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group are one of four groups from County Cork selected to join the Irish Community Archive Network.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group are invited by The Heritage Council to make a presentation at the National Biodiversity Conference in Dublin.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group are announced as the county finalists in the National Lottery Awards for their programme of events to mark the Decade of Centenaries.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group are part of a consortium with Sherwin Island, Cape Clear, the West Cork Arts Centre and Cork County Council to launch the Creative Places Programme to create long-term engagement in the arts on the West Cork Islands.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group secure ClAR funding to purchase an electric community bus for the island and install a PV charging point at the island community centre.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group facilitate an arts collective of island women – Bere Island Women Create – to hold their first exhibition The Hold and to publish a book on their project.
2022	To mark the centenary of Bere Island being one of Ireland’s Three Treaty ports, Bere Island Projects Group host talks with Tom O’Neill, historian and manager of Spike Island.
2022	To mark Culture Night, Bere Island Projects Group host a Scriocht in an island bar which is also broadcast on Bere Island Community Radio.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group host a visit by the Join Committee on Social Protection Community and Rural Development and the Islands. Permission for the committee to meet on the island is approved at a special Dail debate.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group are announced runners up in National Heritage Week’s Heritage Awards for their event at Lonehort Battery for Wild Child Day.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group are granted funding from the Community Centre Investment Fund to upgrade the heating system in the island community centre.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group launch their oral history projects, ‘Recording Our Bere Island Stories’ during Heritage Week and win the Heritage Keepers Special Award for this project.
2022	Bere Island Projects Group, in partnership with Comhdhail Oileain na hEireann, Sherkin Island Development Society, Comharchumann Chleire Teoranta and Comhar na nOilean undertake research on housing issues on the West Cork Islands.
2023	Bere Island Projects Group host a visit from European Local Action Groups from Macedonia and Finland.
2023	Bere Island Project Group officially launch their community archive with the Irish Community Archive Network at a national event in Wicklow.
2023	Bere Island Projects host the annual conference for the European Small Islands Network (ESIN), delegated from 42 islands across Europe attend.
2023	With funding from Cork County Council’s Commemorations Fund Bere Island Project Group host the inaugural Military Heritage Festival.

2023	Bere Island Projects Group support the inaugural Bere Island Arts Festival.
2023	Bere Island are chosen as one of the 30 EU islands join the EU initiative for European islands to transition to clean energy by 2030.
2024	Bere Island Projects Group are shortlisted in the Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness category of the European Heritage Awards.
2024	A Storytelling Festival is held on Bere Island as part of the oral history project.