In partnership with Kerry County Council, the Valentia Island Development Company and the Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation, were delighted this week to welcome a delegation from Newfoundland who visited Valentia as part of the UNESCO Heritage project.
Back in the late 1800's the then remote Valentia Island and Hearts Content in Newfoundland played a major role in connecting the old and new worlds for the first time. The connections between the two locations are growing stronger as they bid for UNESCO status for Transatlantic Cable Project which connected both locations via an undersea telegraph cable for a century until 1966.
The visiting delegation was led by the Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation and also included a number of his officials and members of the local community from the town of Hearts Content.
This is a return visit as Hearts Content has received a delegation from Kerry in August of 2023. The activities this week for the delegation included a tour of the many sites associated with the Transatlantic Cable project, visiting the Cable Station, Foilhummerum Bay, Glanleam House and the Heritage Centre.
The delegation also visited Valentia Light House and the School at Chapeltown where they presented the School with a copy of an MOU signed in September 2022 during Minister Crocker’s last visit to “create a framework for cooperation and coordination between the two governments concerning the UNESCO World Heritage nomination for the Transatlantic Cable Ensemble“.
The delegation were the guests of honor at a community reception at the Cable Station which was addressed by Minister Crocker and outgoing Cathaoirleach of Kenmare MD, Norma Moriarity.
The teams from both sides of the Atlantic collaborated this week on agreeing the joint management structure and milestones for the UNESCO inscription journey. In addition a community partnership workshop was conducted to explore shared interests and identify joint projects which could have a socio-economic impact in both communities across the Atlantic.
