Offaly to receive €285,000 in funding for heritage projects
Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan has today announced that four Offaly heritage projects will benefit from a total of €285,000 under this year’s Historic Structures Fund (HSF).
This year’s HSF includes awards to:
Birr Castle: funding of €200,000 for conservation and repair of wrought-iron suspension footbridge within grounds of Birr Castle demesne to bring it back into use.
Kinnitty Castle, Birr: funding of €37,500 for window restoration for this important historical structure.
St. Mary's Church, Ballyboy: funding of €37,500 for emergency structural repairs, including vegetation treatment, weed control and the removal of fallen masonry. The project includes the preliminary investigation of the church tower to ensure it is safe.
Funding of €10,000 has also been allocated to a stone vernacular building in Newtown, Rahan for window and door installation, roof reinstatement and the repair of ground floor slab and masonry fabric.
Announcing the awards today, Minister Noonan said:
‘I am delighted to announce another €4.5m investment in our built heritage. This year’s Historic Structures Fund will assist 95 owners and custodians of historic and protected structures across the country as they carry out hundreds of conservation projects to repair and safeguard our built heritage. I am particularly pleased to announce the increased number of awards made to vernacular structures. Through this investment, this Government continues to celebrate the value and diversity of our built heritage, while also supporting traditional building skills. These actions also continue to help us deliver on our commitments to built heritage under Heritage Ireland 2030, the national heritage plan which I launched last year.’
Commenting on the announcement, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, said:
‘It is great to see the increased number and range of projects which will be supported by this investment of €4.5m under the Historic Structures Fund. Along with the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, this Government is continuing its commitment to safeguard our rich built heritage, keeping many buildings in use and helping to bring many others back into use. The funded works will also have an economic benefit by generating employment for heritage contractors and other skilled crafts and tradespeople across the country.’
Minister for Local Government and Planning, Kieran O’Donnell also welcomed the announcement, stating:
‘Thanks to the close working relationship between the Department and the Local Authorities, particularly the Architectural Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and planning and administrative staff, schemes such as the Historic Structures Fund continue to be successful in the repair and renewal of our shared built heritage.’
In addition to supporting owners and custodians of historic and protected structures to safeguard and maintain their properties, this funding will also provide a welcome boost to local construction and heritage trades by facilitating works with a total value of over €8m and generating more employment including for specialist heritage roles such as thatching and stone work.
The HSF is one of two built heritage funding schemes which work in partnership with owners and the 31 local authorities to protect our built heritage, a key aim of Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage plan launched by the Minister last year.
The scheme provides assistance to a wide range of heritage structures, including castles, churches, mills, bridges, shopfronts, and thatch structures, as well as to private houses.
In cooperation with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, a grant has also been offered under the Irish-language shopfront stream. Nine larger projects awarded funding over two years under HSF 2022 will also be funded this year.