REVEALED: Full list of Offaly projects to receive heritage funding of over €140,000

A TOTAL of 16 heritage project across Offaly will receive funding to the tune of €141,940 under this year’s Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).

The BHIS is one of two built heritage funding schemes run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in association with the 31 Local Authorities. The scheme assists owners of heritage structures – including those on the local authorities’ Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas – to meet their obligations to care for their properties by providing match-funded grants of up to €15,000 for standard projects (not involving thatch).

The scheme is not limited to private dwellings but also provides assistance to a wide range of other important heritage structures. This year’s BHIS awards in Offaly are:

The Old Monastery, Birr, €4,500
St. Brigid's Convent of Mercy, Clara,€8,500
Moorock Lodge, Ballycumber, €6,000
Loughton House, Moneygall, €10,000
Adomnan Lodge, Rosse Row, Birr, €6,000
Ballinvoher Thatch, Geashill, €8,500
Ballydownan Cottage, Geashill, €11,500
No. 1 Compton Row, Birr, €2,600
Derryweelan Thatch, Geashill, €12,000
Heavey Cottage, Clonmeen, Rhode, €8,000
Roundhouse, High St, Tullamore, €5,000
St Brendan's Hall, Emmet St, Birr, €11,000
St Rynagh's Catholic Church, Banagher, €10,000
The Rectory, Birr, €12,000
Tullanisk House, Birr, €5,800
Woodfield House, Clara, €5,000
Included under this year’s scheme is funding of €500,000 for conservation repairs to eligible historic thatched structures with grants of up to €20,000 available through the scheme. Offaly has been awarded €15,540 for 4 thatched structures.

Junior Minister, Pippa Hackett, welcoming the grants, commented: “The Built Heritage Investment Scheme assists with the cost of mostly small-scale, labour-intensive projects to repair and maintain our historic built environment. So many of our localities have buildings with thatched roofs, stained glass windows or are of importance for other reasons and we need to protect them for all our benefit. I see three thatched buildings in my own area of Geashill are included this year. They, like so many of our heritage buildings, are an invaluable part of our sense of place. Well done to the Heritage Offices of Laois and Offaly County Councils for their preparative work on this scheme and to my colleague Malcolm Noonan, for his continued support of our built heritage. These projects across Laois and Offaly will also support local jobs in conservation and traditional skills.”

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce this significant investment in our built heritage which will allow so many owners and custodians of historic and protected structures across the country to complete necessary works to maintain these structures and safeguard them for the benefit of future generations. 

“I have always stressed the importance of supporting our communities in their efforts to repair, preserve and restore our built heritage. This funding represents a 12.5% increase on last year’s funding and underlines this Government’s continuing commitment to protect and preserve our built environment, in line with the goals set out in Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage plan, which I launched last year.”

Commenting on the announcement, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, said: “The announcement of funding under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme of €4.5m is fantastic news as this will not only help maintain our built heritage but will also create economic benefits by generating jobs, including those in those specialist sectors providing employment for heritage contractors and tradespeople. I look forward to seeing how this funding benefits so many communities through the new and exciting conservation projects which will be undertaken in the coming year.”

Minister of State for Local Government, Kieran O’Donnell TD, also welcomed the announcement:

“The continued success of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme is down to the hard work of the Local Authorities, particularly the Architectural Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and planning and administrative staff. The relationship between local and central government is also critical to this success and I would like to congratulate all involved in this process. I look forward to seeing results of this funding on various projects within our towns, in line with this Government’s commitment to put Town Centres First.”