Today, I am delighted to announce a significant €1.75m in funding for 13 Historic Towns (including Callan and Carlow Town) under the Historic Towns Initiative with the Heritage Council.
13 Historic Towns to share in €1.75m to aid heritage-led regeneration in their town centres, with an emphasis of residential and business re-use of historic properties
In addition to eight conservation projects, five towns will be supported to draw up heritage-led regeneration plans to guide future works
Announcement follows launch of new national heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030, last week
The €1.75m in capital funding will help to provide jobs through heritage-led regeneration and will aid the rebuilding of local economies with heritage as a focal point. Today’s announcement follows the launch last week by Minister Noonan of Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage plan, which will strengthen the management and protection of our built, cultural and natural heritage and provide supports to those responsible for caring for that heritage.
The Historic Towns Initiative is a joint initiative between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Heritage Council and this year’s scheme follows on from highly successful projects during 2018 - 2021. A new aspect of the HTI this year is a call for proposals that encourage the specific re-use of historic buildings. The awards in Monaghan town, Enniscorthy and Tipperary town will address residential and business reuse.
This follows a competitive process inviting local authorities to propose projects for heritage-led regeneration.
In 2022 funding will be awarded to the relevant local authorities for eight conservation projects in:
Listowel, Co Kerry
Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal
Ballina, Co. Mayo
Macroom, Co Cork
Tipperary town, Co Tipperary
Naas, Co Kildare
Monaghan town, Co Monaghan
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
For the first time under this programme in 2022 funding has been awarded to the relevant local authorities for five heritage-led regeneration plans in:
Callan, Co Kilkenny
Drogheda, Co Louth
Wexford, Co Wexford
Ballymote, Co Sligo
Carlow, Co Carlow
As set out in the recently launched Heritage Ireland 2030 national heritage plan, we wish to put built, cultura,l and natural heritage at the front of both Government policy and the recovery of the country as we emerge from the pandemic and so I look forward to working with the Heritage Council on similar initiatives over the coming months and years.
Project details and awards 2022
Listowel, Co Kerry: This funding will support conservation of seven historic structures in William Street, Church Street and the Square and will build upon the programme of conservation and repairs carried out under this scheme in 2021. €151,596
Ballyshannon, Co Donegal: This project will work with the owners of seven buildings on the Mall and Main Street to conserve the historic built environment. This will facilitate sustainable heritage-led regeneration, reinforce civic pride, and promote the tourism potential of Ballyshannon’s historic core. €250,000
Ballina, Co Mayo: The aim of these works is to carry out conservation works to the Belleek Gate Lodge Protected Structure. This project will allow for re-use of the structure as a residence for artists/writers/ecologists/ historians/ environmentalists and community engagement. €160,000
Macroom, Co Cork: This award will safeguard St Colman’s, a former Church of Ireland place of worship, in Macroom, Co. Cork. The emergency works will save the building from further deterioration and allow its development for community use in the future. €215,847
Tipperary town, Co Tipperary: This project intends to achieve reuse of the Glove Factory building in Tipperary town for four apartments and a commercial space. This building has been vacant and unused for almost 50 years and is of regional significance. €163,000
Naas, Co Kildare: This grant will enable the re-use of the historic Potato Market in Naas as a community space. €168,931
Monaghan, Co Monaghan: This project aims to re-establish residential use in the historic Dublin Street, Monaghan town. This will entail external conservation works to eight buildings and internal refurbishment to two buildings for residential use. This project will be scheduled over 2022-23. €247,952
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford: The aim of the project is the renovation of the ground floor of a significant heritage building in Templeshannon, Enniscorthy, into a food and community hub. This project will be scheduled over 2022-23. €250,000
In addition, funding has been awarded to the relevant local authorities for five heritage-led regeneration plans. It is hoped that such plans will inform future applications for conservation funding in:
Callan, Co Kilkenny (€10,000)
Drogheda, Co Louth (€20,000)
Wexford, Co Wexford (€40,000)
Ballymote, Co Sligo (€40,000)
Carlow, Co Carlow (€40,000)