Laois County Council

Tag: Conservation

  • Work begins on Ronnie Mathews Archive

    Work begins on Ronnie Mathews Archive

    Laois County Library Service and Laois Heritage Office are delighted to announce that work is commencing on the Ronnie Mathews Archive Collection. The collection, acquired earlier this year by Laois County Council, was compiled by the late Ronnie Mathews, a well-known and highly respected local historian and author from Portarlington. The collection contains records and artefacts relating to the history of Portarlington and environs including maps, photographs, business records and much more. It reflects the original collector’s knowledge and passion for local history, from the earliest times to recent years.

    With items from the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Orla Connaughton, Archivist; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian; Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer and Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    With items from the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Orla Connaughton, Archivist; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian; Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer and Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    This important local collection will now be processed in conjunction with Eneclann, Ireland’s leading history and heritage company. Professional archivist, Orlagh Connaughton, will list, describe and physically reorganise the collection contents to facilitate future access and display. This collaboration between Laois Heritage Office and Laois County Library Service is supported by Creative Ireland Laois, as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.

     

    Tim Mathews, son of the late Ronnie Mathews said “I think it’s great news that a start is being made on archiving my Dad’s collection. He was born and lived all of his life in Portarlington, and loved the town, and spent over half of his lifetime collecting and researching items relevant to the town and county. He would be very proud and honoured by Laois County Council’s acquisition of his collection. Everything in the collection is original, be it maps, letters, photos, postcards, etc., and many items are well over 100 years old. Archiving these material and preparing them for future display to the public will give people an insight into life in the town over the last few centuries.”

    With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer and Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer and Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Ronnie Mathews collected documents, maps and artefacts relating to Portarlington over his whole life, with the collection also including some items collected by his father. JT Mathews, established in 1866, was a bakery, confectionary, tea rooms, hardware and general provisions, and was in business for over 130 years. Ledgers and account books from the business shed a fascinating light on many aspects of life in Portarlington in the past and are also part of the collection. Among the interesting artefacts are a series of glass plate negatives showing all aspects of Irish life dating from around 1910; a cannon ball reputed to be from the site of Lea Castle outside Portarlington; and a hand painted chess board with the crest of the Dawson family of Emo Court. Materials also include a map of Patrick Street dated 1889 and a large collection of postcards by Wynne of Portarlington -showing Portlaoise (formerly known as Maryborough), Mountmellick, Monasterevin and more.

     

    Laois County Librarian Bernie Foran said “Acquiring archives is an important first step in preventing loss of memory, but processing of archives is an essential step in ensuring that memory is shared and lives on. By processing the collection to the highest archival standards, Laois County Library Service ensures that this remarkable local collection can be accessed by this generation and preserved for the generations to come.”

    With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian and Orla Connaughton, Archivist. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian and Orla Connaughton, Archivist. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Over the coming months the collection will be carefully archived and catalogued, and arrangements made for any necessary conservation, as well as preparing materials to be made available for research and for future display as part of Laois Local Studies.

    Laois Local Studies was established to collect, preserve and make available for reference, material relating to the history and heritage of County Laois. It is home to the Laois Collection, a specialist collection on the local, social, political, economic and geographic history of the county. A dedicated member of staff is available to assist and support members of the public with their research and queries. The collection and service are open to all by appointment. Laois Local Studies is part of the Laois County Library Service, funded and governed by Laois County Council. Further information at www. laoislocalstudies.ie and/or 057 8594985.

  • Co-operation between County Councils sees 16th Century Effigy returned from Laois to Carlow

    Co-operation between County Councils sees 16th Century Effigy returned from Laois to Carlow

    The effigy of Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow Castle was returned to Carlow Town on Wednesday October 13th, 2021 after a sojourn of approximately two hundred years in Portarlington, Co. Laois. For the last thirty years or so the effigy was on display in the People’s Park, Portarlington, Co. Laois. Over the past couple of years Carlow County Museum, operated by Carlow County Council, have coordinated the conservation of the 16th century effigy and its relocation back to Carlow Town and Hartpole now resides in Carlow County Museum.

     

    Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow Castle, High Sheriff of Carlow, and Laois in the 16th century died in 1594. As was his wish, he was laid to rest in the Church of the Blessed Lady the Virgin Mary in Carlow. This was the church associated with St Mary’s Abbey, which is placed by a number of sources somewhere between the present-day St Mary’s Church of Ireland church and the Castle Hill Centre. The remains of Carlow Town’s oldest graveyard are still to be found in this area.

     

    The effigy (a carved likeness of a person) is cut from a single block of Co. Carlow limestone, depicting a knight in full armour. The knight’s head, now missing, was resting on a helmet, his hands are folded over his chest. A dog lies at the knight’s feet, whose head is also missing.  A Latin inscription carved along the side of the effigy once read “Hic jacet Robartus Hartpoole, Conestabulrius de Catherlagh, Septuagenario maoir, interiit iii die Octobris 1594”, (translated to say: ‘Here lies Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow, he died on the 3rd day of October 1594, being more than a septuagenarian’. Some of the inscription still remains including the date 1594. This effigy was placed on top of his tomb.

    The 16th century effigy of Robert Harpole, a national monument, receiving a steam cleaning in the People’s Park, Portarlington, Co. Laois, in advance of his move to Carlow County Museum. Photograph: Carlow County Museum.

    The effigy was rediscovered in 1809 and was moved from Castle Hill to Oak Park, Carlow, to protect it. Sometime later in the 19th century it was moved by descendants from Carlow to Kilnacourt House, Portarlington, Co. Laois. This move was possibly undertaken by a canal boat as the River Barrow was a thriving business thoroughfare. In the mid-20th century, the effigy ended up in the possession of Laois County Council. They, with the assistance of local people displayed the effigy in the People’s Park under a roofed steel construction. Unfortunately, despite this public display, the effigy has suffered damage from anti-social behaviour, damage from its frequent relocations, its exposure to the weather, and the splitting and localised polishing of the stone. The effigy is also a recorded National Monument, LA005-032, and therefore comes under the protection of the National Monuments Acts 1930 – 2014.

     

    Carlow County Museum, Members of Laois County Council, the Laois Heritage Office, the National Monuments Service, and the National Museum of Ireland, began to discuss what should be done to conserve the effigy and its long-term care. After commissioning a conservation report, and the agreement of all the agencies involved, it was decided that the effigy should be conserved and relocated to Carlow County Museum, a designated museum for the display and collecting of archaeological finds associated with Co. Carlow. The Museum is also located in the same town in which Robert was buried in 1594. Both the National Monuments Service and the National Museum of Ireland issued licences to allow the works to take place.

     

    Earlier this year the Museum applied to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under their Community Monuments Fund 2021 grant scheme and was successful in receiving a grant to cover the conservation and relocation of the effigy. Gebel and Helling Stone Conservation, Cork, and Tipperary, were the appointed contractors and works took place in both Portarlington and Carlow County Museum from Tuesday 12th to Friday 15th of October. It was appropriate that they works took place in October as he died in October 1594. In Portarlington the effigy was treated and given a series of steam cleans to remove paint, graffiti, dirt, and organic growths. Then he was delicately separated from his concrete plinth and as he is now in two large sections, weighing up to 200kgs, he was mechanically lifted onto a large trailer for transport to Carlow. In Carlow County Museum a new plinth has been constructed to accommodate him and the stonemasons worked carefully to locate him onto his new plinth. Over the next while the display area around him will be enhanced to details his history and his conservation.

     

    Ms Julia Gebel, Gebel and Helling Stone Conservation, injecting conservation resin into some fissures in the Robert Harpole Effigy. Photograph: Carlow County Museum.

     

    Dermot Mulligan, Museum Curator, Carlow County Museum, and project coordinator said “we are delighted to welcome back to Carlow Town, after nearly two hundred years, the effigy of Robert Hartpole. While he is a controversial character, he was the Constable of Carlow Castle, from hence he shaped and influenced our town and county during the 16th century. The effigy is a piece of our town’s heritage and a fantastic specimen of our local limestone and probably local craftsmanship. Its conservation and relocation has been a cooperative multi-agency approach with the care and conservation of the effigy remaining the priority throughout the process”.

     

    Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer, said “We were delighted to work with our colleagues in Carlow County Council, the National Museum and the National Monuments Service to restore this enormously valuable piece of Carlow heritage to its rightful home. The decision to display the effigy in the town park in Portarlington was taken many years ago and while it certainly saved the effigy from being lost forever, it was not an appropriate place to display such a sensitive monument. Hartpole had no connection to Portarlington, and a grave monument – especially that of a 16th century Knight – should be protected and presented to the public in a sensitive and responsible manner. This project has been a testament to the strong ties of co-operation that exist between Laois and Carlow and we look forward to continuing co-operation on a range of heritage issues. We are grateful to the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for their funding support for the conservation and relocation project, through the Community Monuments Fund.”

     

    John Kelly, Editor of Carloviana, who has researched Hartpole and was anxious that the effigy be conserved said “the Robert Hartpole that emerges from history is rightly viewed as a rapacious land grabber, a ruthless soldier of severe temperament and having of a single-minded ambition to climb to the top of the social ladder. However, Hartpole also had a more enigmatic side. In common with other figures of the period he had ambiguous loyalties; he retained his Catholic faith, he married a Gaelic Irish woman, an O’Byrne from Tullow, and in at least one account is said to be a ‘maintainer of rebels’.”

    The effigy of Robert Hartpole can be viewed on permanent display in Carlow County Museum where admission is free.

    Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow Castle, High Sheriff of Carlow and Laois, now on permanent display in Carlow County Museum following his relocation and conservation through a multi-agency project. Photograph: Carlow County Museum.
  • PORTLAOISE PLANE MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN HOME

    PORTLAOISE PLANE MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN HOME

    The plane last seen in public in Portlaoise over 100 years ago, when it was one of the first planes in Ireland to take to the skies, returned home to Portlaoise on Sunday. A huge gathering of well-wishers, heritage and aviation enthusiasts gathered in the spacious grounds of Laois Music Centre to view the newly restored plane, to hear the story of its journey so far and to hear music composed in honour of Portlaoise’s other great aviation hero, Col. James Fitzmaurice.

    Laois County Council Chief Executive John Mulholland; Cllr Thomasina Connell, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Conor Bergin and Teddy Fennelly, President of Laois Heritage Society with the plane at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Addressing the gathering, Cllr Conor Bergin Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council said “The Plane was designed and built in Aldritt’s Garage Portlaoise by Frank Aldritt and his sons with the help of master carpenter John Conroy – the first plane to be built and take to the air in what is now the Republic of Ireland –and here today we celebrate the vision, creativity, imagination and originality of those Portlaoise men of the past. But it’s also important for us to celebrate the achievement of the people who have rescued this priceless artefact from obscurity.”

    Members of the Aldritt family at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    The Cathaoirleach continued “we must remember Joe Rogers, who first highlighted the continued existence of the plane in a private collection in England; Teddy Fennelly and Alan Phelan who pursued the plane and persuaded the owner to part with it and allow it to return home; Brendan O’Donoghue and Johnny Molloy who painstakingly worked on the craft to restore it to its shining glory and Tim Costelloe who informed and inspired all those involved from the start of the project, sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for all aspects of Irish aviation and in particular in designing the replica engine we see on display here today with the plane.”

    Enjoying the plane at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    As well as being a valuable artefact on its own right, the Portlaoise Plane is linked to Portlaoise’s other major aviation story: A young James Fitzmaurice records in his memoirs that he witnessed the construction of the plane and was also present when it made its first short experimental flight. This early exposure to the excitement of flight was credited by Fitzmaurice with inspiring him in his career as a pioneering aviator. This links the Portlaoise Plane directly with the first east-west transatlantic flight – elevating the story and confirming the place of Portlaoise as the centre of Irish aviation history.

    Members of the restoration team, from left: Brendan O’Donoghue, Alan Phelan, Teddy Fennelly and Tim Costello at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Chairman of the Heritage Council Michael Parsons speaking at the event on Sunday said “The Heritage Council encourages national and local exploration and appreciation of Ireland’s rich natural, built and cultural heritage. The Portlaoise Plane tells a story of exploration, bravery and derring do, that should make the Aldritt, Conroy and Rogers families very proud of their ancestors. All of us in Laois and Ireland can join in celebrating this great story of these pioneers of Irish Aviation. The Heritage Council commends Laois County Council for its warm support of the Portlaoise Plane. I personally wish that the plane will soon be on permanent display where it belongs – here in Portlaoise”.

    Members of the Irish Air Corps at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    All speakers paid tribute to Teddy Fennelly, aviation enthusiast and author of the book “Fitz and the Famous Flight. John Mulholland, Chief Executive of Laois County Council said “Teddy has rescued both the aviation story and the plane for the people of Portlaoise. He has motivated everyone with his selfless drive and enthusiasm and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for saving and helping to restore this vital part of our heritage.”

     

    Speaking about the Plane and its restoration, Teddy Fennelly thanked the many people who had helped along the way, mentioning in particular the staff of Laois County Council’s Portlaoise MD, who have generously assisted with the safe storage of the plane in Portlaoise for the past number of months. He also paid tribute to the Management and Elected members of Laois County Council who he said had always supported heritage projects in Laois and had been generous in their support of this project to date.

    Brendan O’Donoghue, lead restorer of the plane; Teddy Fennelly, President of Laois Heritage and Brigadier General Rory O’Connor, General Officer in command, Irish Air Corps at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    The Portlaoise Plane event was bookended by the performance of extracts from “The Impossible Dream” composed by Martin Tourish to commemorate the life and achievements of Col James Fitzmaurice. The music which was commissioned by Music Generation Laois with funding from Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017 – 2022, was performed by members of the Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra, accompanied by Martin Tourish and Siobhan Buckley.

    The Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra performing at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    MC of the event Alan Phelan commended the young musicians and their tutors, paying special tribute to Rosa Flannery, coordinator of Music Generation Laois and the driving force behind many unique creative projects in the county. At the end of the event, Alan asked Brendan O’ Donohue who spearheaded the restoration of the plane, and Tim Costello who carried out much of the research including the design of the replica engine also on display with the plane, to stand, and those gathered showed their appreciation of the two men with hearty applause.

    Chairman Alan Phelan with his family at the Portlaoise Plane Event. From left: Anita, Phyllis, Alan, Aoife and Aisling Phelan.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    The event was attended by representatives of the Irish Air Corps who paraded on at the start of proceedings and by members of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association Post 27 Portlaoise Branch, who provided a special guard of honour for the plane while it was in situ. General Officer in Command of the Irish Air Corps Brigadier General Rory O’Connor was an honoured and welcome guest. A fly-past of light aircraft from the Lime Tree Airfield just outside Portlaoise lent a further special aviation flavour to the historic event.

    The fly over by aircraft from the Lime Tree Flying Club at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.
    Members of the Conroy family at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Col Fitzmaurice Archive

    In addition to restoring the Portlaoise Plane, Teddy Fennelly has been collecting original archive material relating to the flight and Fitzmaurice for many years – the first East West Transatlantic Flight was major international news both in Europe and the US, and was front page news on the New York Times for 19 days after the flight. Now, with thanks to Heritage Council funding, much of the collection has now been conserved by specialist paper conservator and digitised, and the and the Fitzmaurice Commemoration Committee has ensured that the newspapers will be made publicly available through the digital archive of the Laois County Library Service.

     

    The archive project was brought about through the collaborative approach of the Laois County Council Culture Team – the piece of music commemorating James Fitzmaurice is another –showcasing how the culture Team members from the Heritage, Libraries, Arts, Music Generation and Archives work together through the Creative Ireland programme, to become more than the sum of their parts, and producing truly imaginative, ground breaking work.

    Committee member PJ Kavanagh with his family, Niamh, Noah and Suzie at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.
    Members of the UN Veterans Post 27 at the Portlaoise Plane Event.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Committee

    The Portlaoise Plane event on Sunday was the final event of the year for the Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Committee, which is made up of Teddy Fennelly, Alan Phelan, Michael Parsons, Louise Cahill, PJ Kavanagh, Sean Murray and Catherine Casey. The work of the group continues and more on the projects and plans of the Committee can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Fitzflight. More on the Portlaoise Plane Restoration Project is at https://portlaoiseplane.com/.

    Committee members, from left: Teddy Fennelly, Sean Murray, Michael Parsons, chairman of The Heritage Council; Louise Cahill, Alan Phelan and Catherine Casey at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.
    Brigadier General Rory O’Connor, Teddy Fennelly, President of Laois Heritage Society; Michael Parsons, Chairman of The Heritage Council and Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer with the plane at the Portlaoise Plane official return on Sunday 12th September 2021.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.
  • Know your locality

    Know your locality

    Know your Locality Course for Laois

    Registration for this year’s Know Your Locality Course is now open! The course will run online over 5 evenings in March, with a fieldtrip to the Rock of Dunamase at the end.

    Register online with the Irish Heritage School here.

     

    It is amazing what you can discover about your local area from the snug safety of your home.

    Laois Heritage Office with the support of Creative Ireland is delighted to offer a FREE online course delivered by Irish Heritage School that will take you step-by-step through the available online sources that will allow you to paint a picture of the geological, archaeological, and historical events that happened close to where you live. While the course will look at examples from throughout Ireland, it will focus on the geology, archaeology and history of your county. As such the course is aimed toward local people who are enthusiasts of natural and cultural heritage.

    Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “We are delighted to be working with the Irish Heritage School again to bring this hugely popular course to more people with an interest in the Heritage of Laois. In recent times we have all become much more aware of the beauty and value of our own local place, and this course taps into that interest. We hope it will equip people with the tools they need to research their locality and look at their own patch with new eyes. We are really grateful  for the support of Creative Ireland in Laois, which allows us to bring this course to the public for free.”

    Stephen Mandal, Irish Heritage School leading a field trip at the Rock of Dunamase looking at the geology, landscape, archaeology and history as part of Know Your Locality. Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
    Picture: Alf Harvey.

    The course will be delivered through five online tutorials every Tuesday and Thursday over two and a half weeks commencing March 7th 2022. We will begin by looking at the very bedrock under your feet, examining the geological processes and glacial events that shaped the landscape and formed the soils. The course then focuses on the impacts of humans on that landscape over time, from pre-history to the last century.

    The first workshop includes a summary of the course content and format. A list of resources and links will be sent to the participants so that they can study their own locality. Workshops will focus on a different aspect of geology, the landscape and archaeology of Laois each week, from the formation of Ireland to the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in Ireland, with a focus on each workshop on teaching a set of online research skills. The course will also outline how these skills can be used to make your own submission to the ‘KnowYour5k’ initiative of  the Heritage Council and National Museum of Ireland. Through this and other citizen scientist programmes, course participants can make a real contribution to the conservation of our heritage by recording what is in their local area, what the local community values and raising awareness of its importance.

     

    Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022 in partnership with Laois County Council.

  • Conservation and Pollination

    Conservation and Pollination

    €748,000 Just Transition Funding for conservation of medieval churches and pollinators.

     

    A major new project linking conservation of medieval heritage and biodiversity has been launched by Laois and Offaly County Councils. The three year project has been awarded €748,000 under the Governments Just Transition Fund which aims to support innovative projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the Midlands and which have employment and enterprise potential. The total budget for the project is €880,000.

    Cllr Padraig Fleming, Eilish O’Neill, Paddy O’Neill and Raymond Lacey at Clopook Church

    Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD said,

    “I’m delighted that funding of €748,000 has been finalised through the Just Transition Fund for this project, which will bring significant benefits to the Laois and Offaly region. Every funded project will play a key role in the Midlands successfully adapting to a Just Transition while also benefiting communities and individuals most affected by the move away from peat-harvesting. This project alone will create up to thirteen roles, both directly and indirectly. The conservation of these six medieval churches and their graveyards in Laois and Offaly is a terrific development for the communities around them. I am also delighted to see that action will be taken to promote biodiversity and pollinators at each site in partnership with the community.

     

    My Department to date has issued grant agreements with 26 projects through both Strand 1 & 2 of the Fund, and I expect the remaining projects grant agreements to be finalised shortly. These innovative projects include establishment of supporting local business development and green enterprises, tourism and greenway infrastructure, heritage, regional business hubs, , re-skilling and training initiatives.

     

    These projects have the ability to transform the Midlands region and its communities in the transition to a low-carbon economy. They will bring new, innovative, green energy enterprises with the potential to boost the economy in communities and create viable employment options for the region.”

     

    At the launch of the Just Transition project “Conservation and Pollination: Medieval Churches in Laois and Offaly” at Dysart Gallen Church in Spink. Included in picture is Cathaoirleach of LCC Catherine Fitzgerald MCC with 100 year old Anna Mae Treacy (nee Berry); committee members, Sean Murray, chairman Laois Heritage; Angela McEvoy, senior planner LCC and Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer. Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Catherine Fitzgerald, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council said  “We are delighted to be taking a lead on the Just Transition Fund project to work with communities at these important sites in Laois and Offaly. Churches and graveyards are such important places for heritage and also for the sense of place and identity of the local community. It is great news that there will be positive interaction with communities at a church site in each of the Municipal Districts, I look forward to seeing works progress over the next three years”

    At the launch of the Just Transition project “Conservation and Pollination: Medieval Churches in Laois and Offaly” at Dysart Gallen Church in Spink. Included in picture is Cathaoirleach of LCC Catherine Fitzgerald MCC with committee members Paddy Peppard and chairman Michael McEvoy. Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Over the years Laois and Offaly County Council heritage officers have been working  with a range of communities to care for their medieval churches and the surrounding graveyards. These sites are a direct link to our medieval past and often on sites of importance dating right back to the early Christian period.  They are very special places for local communities, of interest to visitors, as well as being the burial grounds for so many families.  With increased extreme weather events and the impact of climate change there is an acknowledgement that the work to conserve these sites is more important than ever.

     

    This conservation programme has received a huge boost with the allocation of Just Transition funding which will be used to conserve  three churches in each county over the next three years.  There are several strands to Just Transition funding and this programme has received funding through the Community Resilience Strand.  This uses the deep connection people have to their local heritage as a tool to build community capacity, working with local community organisations to develop their capacity to respond to changes in the environment, and raise awareness of greener, cleaner, healthier communities.

     

     

    One church and graveyard has been selected in each municipal district in both counties.  The work at all sites will commence with a comprehensive conservation plan which will be drawn up by a team including a conservation architect, conservation engineer, archaeologist and ecologist.  They will work with the community groups locally to plan works for each site to be delivered. This will include examining options from the All Ireland Pollinator Plan guidelines to see how best the sites can support pollinators.  The proposals will then be submitted to the National Monuments Service for approval before conservation work will commence.  This programme runs for three years so it is anticipated the work in 2021 will focus on research and preparing the programme of works to commence  in 2022 and 2023.

    In Laois the sites to be included are Kilmanman, near Clonaslee (in the Mountmellick – Borris in Ossory Municipal District), Dysart Gallen in Spink (Portlaoise Municipal District) and Clopook (Portarlington – Graiguecullen Municipal District).

     

    Kilmanman

    The medieval church of Kilmanman is on an early Christian site founded by St Manman. Urgent conservation work started at the Church in 2019 with support from Creative Ireland Laois, and work will continue under the Just Transition Project.

    Fred Mathews and Chris Horan, committee members; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Tommy Kelly, committee member; Jethro Sheen, Sheen Stoneworks and Colm Flynn, Archaeologist at Kilmanman Church, Clonaslee.

    Dysart Gallen

    The community at Dysart Galllen commissioned a Conservation Plan in 2020 with funding from the Community Monuments Fund of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This plan has set the priority area for action on the fragile chancel arch and West window of the Church.

     

    Eoin Cahill of the Dysart Gallen graveyard committee said “I for one am very excited to know that this important historical site will now be preserved for future generations to enjoy, and explore, just like I have. The community are very proud of Dysart Gallen and are delighted it is getting the love and attention it deserves. The site itself is such a peaceful place to visit, which is something visitors from far and wide will experience for many, many years to come”..

    Dysart Gallen Church in Spink. Picture: Alf Harvey.

    Clopook

    Clopook graveyard with its medieval abbey dedicated to the Blessed Virgin is located beside the Dun of Clopook, an impressive hillfort situated on top of high rock outcrop similar to the Rock of Dunamase with commanding views of the surrounding countryside in all directions. The place name ‘Cloghpooke’ is annotated on the 1563 map of Laois-Offaly and this hilltop fortress or hillfort is traditionally associated with the O’Moore/O’More clan.

     

    The Offaly sites to be included are Kilmurry in Shinrone, Kilbride near Tullamore and Monasteroris near Edenderry.

     

    For more information on any of the sites and progress with the Conservation and Pollination project over the coming years please see www.laois.ie/heritage and www.offaly.ie/heritage. If you are interested in being kept up to date or involved in any of the above sites please email ccasey@Laoiscoco.ie  for the Laois sites or heritage@offalycoco.ie for the Offaly sites.

  • Funding announced for Conservation of Laois historic buildings

    Funding announced for Conservation of Laois historic buildings

    Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, today (Thursday 1 April) announced that 477 heritage projects across every county in the country will benefit from a total of €3m under this year’s Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).

    Of this fund €72,000 has been allocated to 12 projects in Laois, ranging from small thatched houses to larger country houses.

    Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, welcomed the announcement saying “In addition to supporting owners of historic buildings in looking after their properties, this funding will also provide a welcome boost to local construction and heritage trades by facilitating works with a total value of over €15.5m and creating jobs estiated at 19,000 days’ labour. Laois County Council is delighted to be able to participate in the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, providing a link between the Department and owners on the ground and getting this funding out to Laois Communities”.

    Thatched house near Emo rethatched under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme in 2020

    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. Through grants of up to €15,000, the BHIS 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. The scheme is not limited to private dwellings and also provides assistance to a wide range of other important heritage.
    Also included under the BHIS 2021 is a continuation of a micro-grant stream introduced in 2020 to increase the resilience of historic structures to withstand the constant effects of climate change. This allows local authorities to make smaller awards to owners of historic properties to carry out routine maintenance to offset the impact of climate change on their buildings.

    Minister Noonan said: “I am delighted to announce €3m investment in our built heritage which will assist 477 owners and custodians of historic and protected structures right across the country as they carry out hundreds of small-scale, labour-intensive projects to repair and safeguard our built heritage. These awards will provide much-needed economic stimulus in all 31 local authority areas and will give employment to the many small businesses, skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople involved in heritage-related construction activity. Not only will this €3m funding help sustain specialist heritage businesses while the market recovers, it is also an investment in this Government’s commitment under the Programme for Government to encourage traditional building skills.”

    Minister of State for Local Government, Peter Burke, TD, also welcomed the announcement, saying “the success of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme is testament to the close working relationship between the Department and the Local Authorities, particularly the Architectural Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and planning and administrative staff without whom these schemes would not exist. It is particularly pleasing to see this year’s BHIS fund so many projects in our towns, in line with this Government’s commitment to put Town Centres First.”

    Conservation work funded by the BHIS underway at St Paul’s French Church Portarlington in 2020

    Laois Projects funded this year are as follows:

    Projects Funding Allocated
    House, Stradbally, Co. Laois €8,500.00
    Thatch Durrow, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Fisherstown, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Rathleague, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Clonaghadooo, Co. Laois €6,000.00
    St Paul’s French Church Portarlington, Co. Laois €4,000.00
    Thatch Jamestown, Co. Laois €3,500.00
     House Mountmellick, Co. Laois €10,000.00
    Thatch Ballybodin, Co. Laois €1,000.00
    Thatch Graigue, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Ballacolla, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Forum Mountmellick, Co. Laois €4,000.00
      €72,000.00

     

     

    Details of awards granted under the Department’s other built heritage scheme, the Historic Structures Fund, will be announced following their assessment in the coming weeks.

    The list of all grantees nationally under the 2021 BHIS can be found here.

  • Clonaslee Community celebrates successful conservation of medieval church

    Clonaslee Community celebrates successful conservation of medieval church

    The community of Clonaslee has celebrated the end of another successful season of conservation at the medieval Kilmanman Church just outside the village.

     

    The conservation project which started in 2019, is funded by the Creative Ireland Programme in Laois and Laois County Council, with the help of local community fundraising. This year’s work saw the conservation of the west gable with its fragile bell cote and the east gable with its beautiful carved medieval window. Some work was also carried out to stabilise the  19th century Dunne Mausoleum adjacent to the older church.

    Kilmanman Church Restoration Committee members, members of Clonaslee High Nelly Club, with Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer, Colm Flynn, Archaeologist and Jethro Sheen, Sheen Stoneworks at Kilmanman Church, Clonaslee. Photo: Alf Harvey

    Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “the support of the Creative Ireland programme was crucial in getting this conservation work started and the aim of the project – in addition to saving the medieval fabric of the church – was to build on the sense of place associated with Kilmanman to develop the capacity and resilience of the local community. The project has been enormously successful in this, and in addition to impressive local fundraising, the local people have been on hand to help with all aspects of the work, with the community assisting with management of vegetation, providing water and weathered stone, helping to interpret the archaeology and showing huge hospitality to the conservation team.”

     

    She continued “ On behalf of Laois County Council and the project team, I’d like to thank most sincerely the Kilmanman Restoration Committee, Fr O’Reilly, Chris Horan, Tommy Kelly, David Brickley, Fred Mathews and Denis Feighery, the Clonaslee Graveyard Committee represented by Denis Feighery, The High Nelly Club Clonaslee, the Local Employment Scheme and Caitriona Cashin of Clonaslee Development Association and the many people living near Kilmanman who donated money and also gave so freely of their time to help.”

    Fred Mathews, Chris Horan and Tommy Kelly at Kilmanman Church, Clonaslee. Photo Alf Harvey (Missing from Photo Fr O’Reilly, David Brickley and Denis Feighery)

    The work this year was planned by Conservation Engineer Aoife Murphy working with David Kelly Partnership Consulting Engineers and overseen by archaeologist Colm Flynn. The contract to carry out the highly skilled lime mortar work and masonry conservation was awarded to Jethro Sheen of Sheen Stonework in Gort Co Galway.

     

    Conservation Management Plan

    In addition to the practical conservation work on site this year, the Kilmanman group was successful in sourcing Heritage Council support for a full Conservation Management Plan on the site and this was also started this year, with Conservation Architect Richard McLoughlin working with archaeologist Colm Flynn to carry out a measured survey of the site, and an analysis of the known history to date. The community hopes that phase II of the Conservation Plan will be completed in 2021, if funding is available.

    Kilmanman Medieval Church, Clonaslee. Photo Alf Harvey

    The conservation project at Kilmanman will continue in 2021 with conservation of the North Wall high on the priority list for the next step in this important conservation project.

     

    The conservation work at Kilmanman was funded by The Creative Ireland Programme in Laois and Laois County Council. The Conservation Management Plan was funded by the local community and the Heritage Council

     

    Creative Ireland logo      Heritage Council Logo

  • Funding for historic buildings announced

    Funding for historic buildings announced

    Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan has launched the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Historic Structures Fund for 2021. With €6m in funding across both schemes, they represent a significant boost to the conservation of Ireland’s built heritage. It is expected the schemes will support hundreds of projects while also creating over 30,000 days of employment.

    Minister Noonan said: “Now, more than ever, our communities must be supported in their efforts to repair, preserve and restore our built heritage. The importance of our built environment cannot be overstated. It is an integral part of our culture, our sense of pride and is of huge importance to our local economies. I am therefore delighted to be able to announce an increase in investment for both the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Historic Structures fund for 2021. Today’s announcement is an indication of the Government’s continued commitment to improving our built environment.”

    The Conservation Grants are managed on the ground in Laois by Laois County County Council. Welcoming the Minister’s announcement, Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “We are delighted to work with our central government colleagues and with private owners and community groups to owners to look after the local built heritage of Laois and to ensure that our heritage is protected as a community asset. In 2020, 9 projects in Laois were funded by the two schemes, to a total of €155,000 for projects ranging from thatched cottages to large country houses. One of the more well known projects is the ongoing conservation of the homeplace of James Fintan Lalor by the local community in Raheen. We look forward to the increased funding allowing us to work with more owners to conserve more properties and to support more local jobs in the construction sector”.

     

    Tinakill House, homeplace of James Fintan Lalor. The house was in danger of collapse a number of years ago and the hard work of the local community has saved it and secured its future, with the support of Laois County Council, the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Heritage Council.
    Tinakill House, homeplace of James Fintan Lalor. The house was in danger of collapse a number of years ago and the hard work of the local community has saved it and secured its future, with the support of Laois County Council, the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Heritage Council.

    The Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Historic Structures Fund will support the owners and custodians of protected structures in every local authority area across the country in 2021. Together, both schemes will assist hundreds of small-scale, labour- intensive projects as well as larger-scale projects to repair and conserve our historic built environment. The projects will also give significant support to local jobs in conservation, traditional skills and construction, providing a vital boost to local economies during challenging times a cumulative total of some 30,000 days of employment will be generated.

    The 2021 Historic Structures Fund will also include two new pilot streams: one for vernacular structures and another for historic shopfronts.

    “The vernacular structures stream will support what can be termed ‘informal’ traditional buildings that are a significant part of our intangible cultural heritage,” Minister Noonan outlined. “Historic shopfronts have always been eligible to apply for funding under the HSF; to incentivise such applications in 2021, Local Authorities will be allowed to shortlist an additional project if that project concerns the refurbishment and conservation of historic shop facades, windows and/or signs.”

    Thatched house, Laois
    Laois County Council has given priority for many years to thatched houses under the conservation grant schemes and now that commitment is being matched at national level with a new vernacular heritage pilot stream under the Historic Structures Fund.

    The funding includes a total of €3 million for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme – an increase of 20% from last year’s scheme – and €3 million for the Historic Structures Fund – an increase of over 75% from HSF 2020. Applications open from now until 29 January 2021. Details of the schemes and how to apply are available on the website of Laois County Council .

  • Funding announced for historic properties in Laois

    Funding announced for historic properties in Laois

    Funding of €87,000 has been announced for the conservation of protected structures in County Laois. A total of 14 buildings were allocated funds through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Structures at Risk Fund.

    Both schemes are administered by Laois County Council, with funding from the Department for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. These grants have been awarded following assessments by local authorities, who accepted applications from members of the public and put recommended projects forward to the Minister for approval.

     

    Mountmellick Town Hall has been awarded funding to continue conservation work started in 2017
    Mountmellick Town Hall has been awarded funding to continue conservation work started in 2017

    Full details of all projects funded nationally are at the website of the DCHG.

    Details of the schemes and projects funded in Laois are here.

  • Funding announced for conservation of historic properties

    The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced that the very successful Built Heritage Investment Scheme and Structures at Risk Fund will operate again in 2018. The two schemes will provide a €3.3 million in investment in 2018 for the repair and conservation of protected structures. These schemes supported more than 500 projects across the country in 2017 and helped to provide employment in the conservation and construction industries.

    Minister Humphreys said:

    “This investment of €3.3 million in the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and Structures at Risk Fund will encourage the investment of private capital in small-scale, labour-intensive projects to repair and conserve historic structures. This will improve the appearance and structure of historic buildings across the country and will also support jobs in the conservation and construction industries.

    “Well-maintained historic buildings contribute positively to the vitality of our cities, towns, villages and countryside. Local communities have a great sense of pride in their built heritage, which in turn can help to provide an important source of local employment by boosting tourism.

    “Both schemes will operate on the same model as the 2017 schemes, which were a great success, funding over 500 projects across every local authority area in the country. They will help to regenerate urban and rural areas, and will come as a welcome boost to the custodians of heritage properties.”

    House on the Square, Durrow, conserved with funding from the Built Heritage Investment Scheme in 2017
    House on the Square, Durrow, conserved with funding from the Built Heritage Investment Scheme in 2017

    Scheme documents for 2018 available to date are below. Further details will be published when available.

    Built Heritage Investment Scheme

    All works carried out under the BHIS must be capital works. Full details of all requirements are in the Circular BHIS 18/1.

    The BHIS will operate in 2018 with funding available to the amount of €2,000,000 nationally. The amount available to each Local Athority has not yet been published.

    The total funding available for each individual project cannot exceed 50% of the total project cost.
    The minimum funding available under the BHIS will be €2,500 up to a maximum grant of €15,000.

    The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 31st January 2018.

    Full Scheme Terms and Conditions: BHIS 2018 Circular November 2017

    Application Form: BHIS 2018 Appendix II – Application Form A

    Details of works which qualify for funding: BHIS 2018 Appendix I – Qualifying and Non Qualifying Works

    Structures at Risk Fund

    All works carried out under the SRF must be capital works. Only structures or parts of structures in immediate danger of significant deterioration will qualify for consideration for funding.

    The SRF will operate in 2018 with funding available to the amount of €1,324,000; €74,000 of which will be allocated for funding towards the type of house covered by An Action Plan for the Sustainable Future of the Irish Historic House, launched in 2015.

    Due to the limited resources available for the operation of the scheme in 2018, DCHG will consider four applications per local authority, only one of which may be a publicly-owned building. A fifth application may be made if it relates to an Irish Historic House in private ownership.

    The total funding available for each individual project shall not exceed 80% of the total project cost. The minimum funding available under the SRF will be €15,000 up to a maximum grant of €30,000. The minimum funding available for a fifth project in respect of a historic house in private ownership will be €5,000 up to a maximum of €10,000. The closing date for applications is 31st January 2018.

    Full Scheme Terms and Conditions: 1. Circular SRF 2018 – FINAL

    Application Form: 2. Appendix I – APPLICATION FORM A – OWNER_APPLICANT

     

  • Grants for Conservation of historic properties in Laois

    Grants for Conservation of historic properties in Laois

    Funding has been announced for the conservation of protected structures in Laois, and nationally. Two schemes, administered by Laois County Council on behalf of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Rural, Regional and Gaeltacht Affairs will bring almost €150,000 in funding to 15 properties right across the county. A wide range of building types in Laois will benefit from funding this year, including thatched houses, old mills, churches, modest homes, and large country houses. Typical works to be funded under the scheme include roof repairs, structural consolidation and measures to ensure weather tightness.

     

    Map showing the distribution of grants under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (Green) and Structures at Risk Fund (red) in Laois. Courtesy of Google maps.

    Welcoming the funding announcement, John Mulholland, Chief Executive of Laois County Council said “Laois County Council is delighted to be involved in running these schemes, which bring a significant benefit to both the building owners, and the heritage of the county. This funding is also important as a support the construction sector in the region, particularly the specialist conservation skills involved in maintaining and repairing these buildings. I am particularly pleased to see funding allocated to two prominent buildings in the historic core of Portlaoise, which was the focus of the recently published Vision Statement. Building on the medieval core of the town will be an important element of developing a vibrant future for Portlaoise”.

    St Peter’s Church of Ireland in Portlaoise benefitted from the Structures at Risk Fund in 2016 and has been awarded funding in 2017 to repair the historic boundary wall of the church.

    Details of funding for Laois are below:

    Grant allocations 2017 Laois – Built Heritage Investment Scheme

    Grant allocations 2017 Laois – Structures at Risk Fund

    At national level, €3.5 million is being made available under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and €1.3 million is being made available under the Structures at Risk Fund to allow for the conservation and repair of protected structures across the country. Minister Heather Humphreys said: “This investment will support the conservation of our heritage buildings and jobs in the conservation sector right across the country. The €4.8 million investment will leverage a further €11 million in private sector funds and will stimulate labour-intensive projects nationwide. 

    “Ireland’s heritage buildings and protected structures are a vital part of the infrastructure of our villages, towns, and cities. The Action Plan for Rural Development recognises the importance of investing in built heritage as a tool for rural regeneration and the economic recovery is allowing me to increase the level of funding available. Investing in our built heritage is not just good for the individual properties concerned, but can also provide a real boost to job creation in the construction, conservation and tourism sectors “.

    Details of projects funded nationally under each scheme are at the website of the Department for Arts, Heritage, Rural, Regional and Gaeltacht Affairs.