Public urged to come forward with memories and stories of Fota's past

Members of the public with memories of Fota House and Gardens, either as former staff, volunteers, visitors or members of the local community, are being encouraged to come forward for a new heritage project on the historic site.

[/url] Stories, memories and traditions that have helped to shape Fota are set to be recorded and preserved through a new oral initiative.

The project will capture memories of life in the house and on the estate, gardening traditions, biodiversity, seasonal rhythms, horticultural practice, estate management and the knowledge and dedication of many people that shaped Fota over generations.

The project forms part of Heritage Voices Plus led by the Irish Heritage Trust, the independent non-profit organisation that cares for some of the most significant built, cultural and natural heritage sites and works in Ireland, to protect and share their stories for future generations.

Never been formally documented

Many of these stories have never been formally documented and the Irish Heritage Trust aims to preserve this rich social history alongside Fota's built and natural heritage.

Interviews that are recorded through the project will be preserved through the Cork Folklore Project at University College Cork, ensuring they remain accessible for future generations.

The initiative builds on a national oral history framework developed jointly by the Irish Heritage Trust and Mac Conmara Heritage in 2025, establishing professional standards for oral history collection, ethical recording, interview preparation and long term archival preservation across the trust's properties.

Heritage Voices Plus will also include a volunteer shadowing programme, giving participants practical experience in oral history methods, ethical practice and heritage documentation.

Since acquiring Fota House in 2007, the Trust has overseen its conservation. Members of the public with memories of Fota should contact learning@irishheritagetrust.ie.