Almost €400,000 allocated for conservation works across Roscommon and Westmeath

Almost €400,000 has been allocated to conservation and restoration works on historic buildings across Roscommon and Westmeath, with 14 heritage projects set to benefit under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme.

In Westmeath, eight projects have received a combined €251,839 to support repair and conservation works to a wide range of historic and protected structures.

Funding includes €40,000 for works at The Castle on Main Street in Moate and €40,000 for the Gardener’s Cottage at Belvedere House and Gardens, along with €35,000 each for projects on Main Street/High Street in Athlone, 15/17 Oliver Plunkett Street in Mullingar, and Main Street in Moate.

Further allocations include €23,000 for the stables and outbuildings at Gaybrook Park Estate in Mullingar and €23,000 for the Parochial House in Ballintue, Ballynacargy, while St Colmcille’s Church in Ballinahown, Athlone, has received €20,839.

Meanwhile, six projects in Roscommon will benefit from €143,363 in funding to help restore and protect important historic buildings throughout the county.

Funding includes €35,000 for thatching and associated conservation works at Elphin Windmill in Kilmacumsy, €27,000 for works to the historic ruins and external walls at Ballymurray Quaker Meeting House, and €38,000 for roof and external wall repairs at Clonalis House in Castlerea, with remaining funding supporting additional conservation projects.

Commenting on the announcement, Robert Troy TD said: “This funding is about far more than bricks and mortar. It represents an investment in our local history and in the culture and character of our communities. These historic buildings tell the story of our area, and this support will ensure that story is preserved for future generations.”

Minister Kevin Boxer Moran said the funding would play "a vital role in ensuring that the architectural legacy handed down to us by previous generations continues to endure in towns, villages and rural communities throughout the country".

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme supports the repair, restoration and protection of historic structures, from traditional homes to landmark public buildings, across towns, villages and rural areas.

The scheme also helps to sustain traditional building skills while addressing vacancy, dereliction and underuse of historic properties.

The funding is provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s National Built Heritage Service and is administered by local authorities.

Announcing the allocations, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD said the investment would ensure that the architectural legacy of past generations continues to survive in communities across the country.

“The preservation of our built heritage relies on taking action today to repair, maintain and secure the integrity of these buildings,” he said.

“Through this scheme, alongside initiatives such as the Historic Structures Fund, Community Monuments Fund and the revised Living City Initiative, we are preserving our past while also securing our future by maximising the use of existing building stock and preventing vacancy and dereliction.”