Historic buildings to receive almost €75,000 for works

ALMOST €75,000 has been allocated to protecting and conserving a number of Co Wicklow buildings under two Government schemes.

Seven Garden County projects will share €50,000 under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, which provides funding for the repair and conservation of historic structures in both private and public ownership.

The seven successful Wicklow projects are: St Saviour’s Church in Rathdrum, which has been awarded €10,000; Russborough House in Blessington, which has been awarded €10,000; Enaville, a house on Kilmantin Hill in Wicklow town, which is to receive €8,500; the old RIC Barracks in Laragh, which has been granted €7,000; The Corner House in Newtownmounkennedy, which has been awarded €7,000; Christ Church in Delgany, which will receive €5,000; and Hollywood Church, which has been granted €2,500 for work on its boundary walls.

Separately, €24,000 has been allocated to two Co Wicklow projects under the Structures at Risk Fund, which supports conversation works to historic structures (in both private and public ownership) which are at significant risk of deterioration. The fund also encourages the regeneration and resuse of heritage properties and helps to secure protected structures which might otherwise be lost.

Ballyarthur House near Arklow has been awarded €15,000 through this fund, while Russborough House in Blessington was granted €9,000.

In total, 370 structures around the country will share €2 million in funding under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the successful projects include re-thatching of buildings and repairs to follies, cathedrals, mills and forges.

In accordance with the Government’s commitments under the Action Plan for the Sustainable Future of the Irish Historic House, a portion of funding under the Structures at Risk Fund was reserved for historic houses in private ownership, and ten projects will be supported under this element of the scheme.