Cavan awarded over €190,000 by Community Monuments Fund
Over €190,000 has been allocated to five Cavan archeological heritage projects as part of the Department of Heritage's Community Monuments fund for 2023.
The sites in Cavan are €94,673 in funding for St. Mogue's Church, €37,997 for Drumlane Abbey, €30,000 in funding for Enagh Windmill, €29,96 for Moneygashel Cashel and €4,459 for Moybologue.
In total €8 million in funding was announced for 140 archaeological heritage projects throughout the country representing an increase of 33% over last year’s allocation.
The objective of the community monuments fund is to support the conservation, maintenance, protection, and promotion of local monuments and historic sites, in alignment with the aims of the Government’s new heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030, and the Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan.
The scheme contains a range of measures that seek to enable conservation to be carried out on archaeological monuments in need of urgent support, encourage access to these monuments and improve their presentation, and build resilience to enable these monuments to withstand the effects of climate change.
The scheme offers three funding streams to support a broad range of measures aimed at protecting and promoting archaeological monuments, including emergency conservation repair works at monuments, masonry repair, the development of Conservation Management Plans, access infrastructure and installation of interpretation signage, and communication projects aimed at disseminating knowledge of Ireland’s archaeological heritage.
Speaking at the announcement Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD said spoke of the importance of the fund for our heritage.
He said "this fund has supported over 330 projects since its establishment in 2020, making a tangible, positive impact to the medieval forts and churches and the historic graveyards and castles into which the lives of our ancestors are woven, along with our own, connecting us to our ancient past."
He said it was important for future generations.
“It is also, of course, an investment in our future: in the ongoing care, conservation and promotion of these remarkable monuments and historic sites, and in the communities and heritage professionals who expertly manage the effort to conserve, protect and share them. I’d like to thank all of this year’s applicants for their efforts, and wish the successful grantees the very best of luck with their projects.”
Deputy Niamh Smyth paid tribute to some of those involved in securing funding.
She said “I’d like to thank heritage officers in Cavan and Monaghan for securing the funding. In Cavan Anne Marie Ward is our heritage officer, she worked hard with me to secure the funding for those groups who received funding.
Particularly for Drumlane Abbey and Moybologue Graveyard who I worked closely with. They are fast becoming real focus points architectural and historical focal points in the community as well as great tourist sites for Cavan."