Repair works planned at church and graveyard ruins in Offaly
Three ancient church and graveyard sites in Offaly are to undergo conservation and repair works in the coming months as part of a publicly-funded grant project.
The works are planned at Monasteroris church and graveyard, about 4km west of Edenderry; at Kilbride church and graveyard in Ballinamere, outside Tullamore; and at Kilmurryely church and graveyard in the south of the county, near the Tipperary border.
A further three church and graveyard ruins in Laois are also in line for the conservation works, and Laois County Council has advertised tenders for a contractor to carry out the project at all six sites.
The tendering documents state that each site is "a ruined church and graveyard, which is still open to public visitors," though the Kilmurryely site is within private ownership and "a right of way access can be arranged with the landowner" for the carrying out of the works.
The deadline for contractors to apply for the job is June 21, and the tender documents anticipate that work would then begin at the end of June.
A description of the planned work states that it would include the removal of vegetative growth from all masonry walls, the stabilising of wall tops and gable walls of the ruined structures, and the removal of vegetative roots from the masonry joints.
It's stated that all existing gravestones and headstones in close proximity to the works are to be protected with ply boards or ply boxes while the project is being carried out.
The removal or pruning of trees at the sites is to be undertaken after the end of August this year, and the chosen contractor will have to work with an ecologist to ensure bats are not disturbed during the works.
The contract period will be 14 months, though the council noted that certain works could not be carried out at particular times of the year.
The sites in Laois where the work is due to be carried out are: Clopook church and graveyard; Dysart Gallen church and graveyard; and Kilmanman church and graveyard.