Over €137,000 allocated to 13 historic buildings
Repair works at 13 historic structures throughout County Wicklow are set to take place after it was announced last week that the projects were to receive over €137,000 in funding.
Ten buildings will receive a total of €67,800 under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS), which supports small-scale, labour-intensive projects to repair and conserve historic projects, while three structures have been allocated a total of €70,000 under the Structures at Risk Fund (SRF), which aims to reduce the risk of deterioration of Ireland’s architectural heritage and safeguard at-risk structures.
Under the BHIS, St Crispin’s Cell in Greystones has been allocated €6,500 for the stabilisation of masonry; the sum of €4,000 has been set aside for window replacement at The Cottage on Sea Road in Arklow; and Nature’s Gold in Greystones will receive €8,200 for the repair and upgrading of historic window shutters.
Many of the funding allocations under the BHIS were for churches in the county. Wicklow Parish Church will receive €8,500 for external fixture repair; €2,500 has been assigned St Kevin’s Church of Ireland in Holly- wood for external wall repairs; St Joseph’s Church in Valleymount has been allocated €9,000 for roof repair, structures and coverings, including leadwork; €9,000 has also been set aside for stabilisation of the ruins of Kilmurray Church in Newtownmountkennedy; funding for interior structural repair has been granted for both St Michael’s Church in Aghold, Coolkeano (€6,500), and Shillelagh Parish Church (€8,500); and, finally, €5,100 has been allocated to the conservation/protection of historic window glass at Christchurch in Delgany.
Under the SRF, Russborough House in Blessington has been granted €10,000, while both All Saint’s Church in Carnew and St Saviour’s Church in Arklow have been allocated €30,000.
Noting Wicklow’s ‘rich and varied architectural heritage, with over 700 properties on the Record of Protected Structures’, Wicklow County Council’s Heritage Officer Deirdre Burns said that the availability of such funding was ‘ key to ensuring the survival of these structures’.
Bryan Doyle, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, said that the council was ‘ looking forward to working with property owners and managers to co-ordinate conservation works under the BHIS and SRF.
‘ The two schemes are expected to leverage significant additional private funds which in turn will generate employment in the conservation and construction industries.’