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A World Heritage Site is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.
Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration – UNESCO
As part of the preparation for the application to UNESCO, the Valentia Island Development Company initially commissioned two research papers by an international UNESCO expert, Professor Alexander Gillespie from the University of Waikato in New Zealand in which he assessed the viability of the Valentia ensemble of related transatlantic cable sites to be considered for industrial world heritage status.
The significance of what happened on Valentia Island, as evidenced by its associated and remaining features, gives it a strong chance of becoming a World Heritage site due to its Outstanding Universal Value. As a UNESCO site, the island has the capacity to attract thousands of national and global visitors each year and its rich contributions to Industrial world heritage will be preserved and celebrated for future generations – Prof. Alexander Gillespie
Heart’s Content Cable Station, Newfoundland was formally recognised as a Canadian national treasure, and included with seven other locations in that country’s updated list of Tentative World Heritage sites. It proposes a transnational application with Valentia sites.
The inaugural Valentia Island Lecture is held in the Cable Station chaired by IDA CEO Martin Shanahan and keynote speaker Professor Jeffrey Garten from Yale (both pictured above) addressing a large audience on the topic of globalisation. The IDA and BT Ireland are premium sponsors. “the notion to me that…Read More
The Transatlantic Cable is included as a major project on Fáilte Ireland’s Skellig Coast Visitor Experience Development Plan, which will involve the creation of an interactive experience relating the Cable story in Valentia.
Paper 2 is completed, demonstrating that the Trans-Atlantic cable is of Outstanding Universal Value. The 150th Anniversary celebrations welcome representatives from the US and Canadian embassies, the Irish government and industry leaders to Valentia. The events are reported on national television and radio. The Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation Board is…Read More
The Trans-Atlantic Cable as World Heritage Paper 1: Authenticity, Integrity and Associated Considerations for the Ensemble of Sites at Valentia Island, County Kerry, Ireland is completed. The feasibility report was presented at the American Irish Historical Society on May 27 in New York.
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