Re: Re: 50 years of the IGS

notjim: Very useful of you to share this piece with us, especially those not resident in Ireland. It may sound daft, but surely there is room (with financial backing, possibly in the form of a public/private trust) to promote or extend an equivalent of the Tidy Towns idea? I thought that TT was all about a lick of paint and some hanging baskets, but if you read their adjudications, they are detailed and thoughful and, more to the point, comprehensive. Once the idea catches on that the Georgian (and many other vernacular) houses are worth preserving, are part of the collective heritage and are a part of the nation’s identity and there is a little competitive edge in their conservation, then their future might begin to be assured.
The trick is to sell them as grand, but not exclusive, houses which are the heritage not just of the wealthy but of everyone with an interest in architecture and heritage.