Four local projects to get heritage funding

The largest of the Cavan allocations (€12,864) is for Killeshandra Tidy Towns for the conservation works of O’Brien Mausoleum at Rath Church. Almost €34,000 has been allocated for three heritage site projects in Monaghan.

Four Cavan-based heritage projects have been awarded funding.

A total of €30,064 has been allocated by the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Community Heritage Grants 2021 scheme, which involves the protection of old structures such as churches, graveyards and railways, as well as species and habitats.

The largest of the allocations (€12,864) is for Killeshandra Tidy Towns for the conservation works of O’Brien Mausoleum at Rath Church.

Cavan and Leitrim Railway meanwhile will received close to €10,000 to restore a bogie from an original Tralee and Dingle Railway Carriage dating from 1890. The funding will also allow the local group to eventually operate the carriage on their heritage railway as well as open it for public access.

Elsewhere, West Cavan Bogs Association (WCBA) have been awarded €5,300 which they intend to invest in videography to support citizen science and public understanding of West Cavan raised bogs, while Drumlane Heritage Committee will get €2,000 to help fund topographical and geophysical surveys to assist in carrying out in-depth research within the ruins of the Medieval Drumlane Abbey complex.

There was significant funding allocated also to neighbouring counties.

Almost €34,000 has been allocated for three heritage site projects in Monaghan.

A sum of €13,776 has been allocated for the Temple Moyle Conservation Plan and Graveyard Survey at Lough Egish; €11,070 for the collection of baseline ecological information on the habitats and species of the Tyrone Guthrie Centre landholding; and €8,989 for the conservation and restoration of original sash windows at the Old National School Building in Carrickmacross.

The funding announcement was confirmed to Minister Healther Humphreys by Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan.

She welcomed the allocations, saying: “This is all about providing the means for our communities to conserve, repair and safeguard key heritage projects.

“I also hope and envisage that such projects will support local employment of skilled conservation workers and tradespeople.”

Minister Humphreys stated that the CHG scheme goes hand in hand with the department's 'Our Rural Future' plan – the new five year policy for rural Ireland launched recently.

“These investments are all about breathing new life into rural communities as well as enhancing and protecting our most important heritage sites and tourism destinations.”