Press Releases
TERMINALFOUR builds an online home for Ireland's architectural heritage
Date Released: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:00:00 ISTwww.buildingsofireland.ie - an archive without walls - receives two million hits from 60,000 visitors since going live
TERMINALFOUR, the enterprise content management specialist, today, announced a collaboration with the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH), which has brought the architectural heritage of Ireland online. For the first time, the general public will have full access to a catalogue of information on the historic buildings and gardens of Ireland. It includes photography and records on national treasures such as Kilkenny Castle and the Botanic Gardens, which was previously only accessible to government staff.
The content management system provided by TERMINALFOUR provides a comprehensive digital archive of every significant structure type, large and small, in the country including castles, cathedrals, thatched houses, boathouses, hospitals and gardens. It has already become an invaluable resource for researchers, history and architecture enthusiasts and students. The number of visitors would also indicate a very broad public appeal.
There are currently sixteen counties catalogued on the website with target of bringing all twenty-six counties online in the next 5/10 years. The NIAH is seeing the benefit of making this information available online, having already received 60,000 visits and two million hits since the project began.
TERMINALFOUR?s Site Manager will help the NIAH to deliver a user-friendly, scalable and accessible website. Members of the public, both in Ireland and around the world, can now access content 24 hours a day. Second and third generation Irish people living in America are using the site to trace their lineage by comparing old family photographs with images on the website. School kids are using the site to do homework and some people are using the site with a view to buying property.
Willie Cumming, senior architect, NIAH said, "This is an important step for the NIAH to achieve its goal of becoming an archive without walls. Our new strategic plans emphasise the importance of providing records anytime, anywhere. For the first time, the public will be able to view this remarkable collection of the buildings and gardens of Ireland on the internet."
Piero Tintori, managing director of TERMINALFOUR said, "The NIAH, like other information rich bodies, has embraced the benefits of content management. TERMINALFOUR's Site Manager has simplified the publication process of the vast archive of information. As a result, a much wider audience now has fast and direct access to these important records, rather than being limited to those with a key to the filing cabinet."
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About TERMINALFOUR
TERMINALFOUR is a leading developer of 'out-of-the-box' enterprise content management software. Its systems enable medium and large sized organisations to improve the delivery and communication of information through various channels including websites, personalised portals, intranets, extranets and emerging media. It is the number one supplier to third level education institutions in the UK and to public sector in Ireland. Customers include IDA Ireland, Shannon Development, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, University of Manchester, University of Portsmouth, Tesco and Pearson Education. TERMINALFOUR recently achieved its fourth successive appearance in the Technology Fast 50, with average revenue growth of 493% over five years. More information on TERMINALFOUR is available at www.terminalfour.com
About The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH)
The NIAH was established in 1990 to fulfil Ireland's obligations to the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe, through the establishment and maintenance of a central record, and the documenting and evaluating of the architectural heritage. It is now a unit within the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Initial work concentrated on the preparation of comprehensive inventories of the county towns, nineteen of which are completed and published. However access to them is limited as copies are only available for consultation in county or copyright libraries. The Planning & Development Act 2000 dictated a change of direction in the work on the NIAH. It sets out each planning authorities' responsibility for maintaining a Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Section 53 of the Act, specifies that the Minister may make recommendations to a planning authority concerning the inclusion of structures in its RPS. The NIAH are producing interim county surveys, of a representative sample of structures of Regional or higher rating, to form the basis of such Ministerial recommendations.