Tag: Laois

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.

4th June 2021
Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk launched

A ground-breaking new Climate Action Walk for Abbeyleix has been launched by Abbeyleix Tidy Towns, working in partnership with Laois County Council, Creative Ireland Laois and Midlands Science. The walk is an end of residency project by science communicator in residence for the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project, Dr Niamh Shaw.

The walk is an interactive walking tour through the town of Abbeyleix to engage the general public about climate change, focusing on the cyclical nature of our planet, how climate change has impacted our lives, how it affects us emotionally and what we can do on a local level to positively contribute to this global issue.

Robbie Quinn, chairman of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns and Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Catherine Fitzgerald MCC with one of the tiles at the launch of the Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

Speaking at the launch, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Catherine Fitzgerald said “Successful climate action will require deep changes in our society, and this cannot happen without citizen engagement at the heart of public policy change. I’d like to congratulate the members of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns for their enthusiastic participation in this ground breaking project to engage the people of the town with the breadth of change needed to address climate action and biodiversity loss.

“I’d like to thank Creative Ireland and the Laois County Council Culture and Creativity Team for giving this project the space to develop over the past year, and allowing the team to react in such an agile way to the new challenges of the Covid restrictions on public gatherings. The online elements of this project and in particular the Abbeyleix Almanac online programme really demonstrated how much engagement can be created when a creative approach is taken to communicating these topics”.

The Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk is designed for the public to discover ceramic tiles dotted along Main Street Abbeyleix, and guide them along a walk which starts at Heritage House and ends at Abbeyleix Bog. A unique QR code is printed on each ceramic tile, which will trigger a mobile device to open an animation or video hosted on youtube. An online Story Map has also been published so anyone in the world can “virtually” follow the path of the walk. The Storymap is on the Climate Action section of the Laois County Council website at www.laois.ie/climate.

Dr Shaw said “It was an absolute pleasure to work with the Abbeyleix Tidy Towns and local community for the past six months on raising awareness about the topic of climate change. This end of residency walking project was a most enjoyable part of that shared experience and would not have been possible without the people on the ground who worked with me in creating the walk. From the local businesses and council buildings who allowed us to install the tiles, to the Abbeyleix Tidy Towns committee who have helped with the installation, I have had terrific support throughout.

“I have to thank local graphic designer Paulina Nickstrom for making my words come to life in her gorgeous animations. Thanks also to Sally Weintrobe who permitted us to incorporate the talk she gave back in March as one of the audio pieces along the walk. But most importantly I want to acknowledge the guidance and support throughout my residency from Laois Heritage Officer Catherine Casey, Ann Lawlor from Creative Laois, Jackie Gorman from Midlands Science and the amazing Abbeyleix Tidy Towns committee. We can do some good things on our own, but together we can make the impossible possible”

The new Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk is a project under the Healthy Ireland Keep Well Campaign, aimed at showing people of all ages how we can mind our own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to our daily and weekly routines.

Julie Scully, Healthy Ireland Co-ordinator for Laois County Council said we are delighted to collaborate with Abbeyleix Tidy Towns, The Heritage Office and Creative Ireland on this initiative that brings together so many elements of the Keep Well Campaign. This project links the past to the future with the use of the most up to date technology. The links between personal wellness and environmental wellness are well documented and this project, with the beautiful and informative videos by Dr. Niamh Shaw, encourages people to enjoy a leisurely walk in Abbeyleix Heritage Town while also engaging with climate action.”

Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Catherine Fitzgerald MCC performing the launch with members of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns, Dr Fiona MacGowan, Jackie Walsh, Cllr John Joe Fennelly, Mary White, Mark Clancy and Robbie Quinn, chairman along with Laois Heritage Officer Catherine Casey, Suzanne Dempsey, LCC-Community and Julie Scully, LCC Healthy Ireland co-ordinator at the launch of the Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

Abbeyleix Tidy Towns have been partners in the Abbeyleix Climate Action Projects since last year. Chair of the Tidy Towns group Robbie Quinn said “The current committee is charged with creating a community that continues to be an attractive place to live, to work and to visit. In doing this our focus is now on placemaking and on reimagining our beautiful heritage town as a smart and sustainable community that is fit for the 21st Century. We have an inclusive ethos and work very hard to engage the wider community in our work. It is through a positive working relationship with a range of public bodies and agencies, not least Laois County Council, that we are beginning to deliver a number of significant flagship biodiversity and climate actions projects that will move us forward on our journey to become a truly sustainable community. We hope our community and visitors engage and enjoy this experience “

An important aspect of the Climate Action Project in Abbeyleix was the attention given to the importance of having good scientific data to back up policy, and in creating public engagement with science. Jackie Gorman, CEO of Midlands Science said “we were delighted to be part of this innovative and exciting project with Laois County Council. It was a great example of engaging a community with science and evidence and using these experiences to drive changes locally. Climate change and climate action are defining issues of our time and are informed by science and how we engage with science. Our support for various elements of the project such as the sensors, the Fast Facts series and other outreach elements allowed us to explore how science can localised and brought into a community in a real way. We learnt a lot from working with the team involved and the community of Abbeyleix.”

Abbeyleix used the momentum generated by the Climate Action project to engage with UCD on the international We Count project. This citizen science project involved placing traffic sensors in locations around the town to enhance local understanding of traffic and travel patterns and related impacts on air quality, climate action and quality of life. This in turn led to a complementary project, supported by Midlands Science, whereby the community received training in how to build and install air quality sensors –using cost effective Internet of Things technologies and a citizen science approach.

“This exciting project ties in well with our vision to become a smart, sustainable community”, said Mark Clancy of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns “It is a very cost-effective way of generating scientifically valid data which we intend to use to better understand local traffic and air quality patterns and also to make compelling arguments to implement measures to promote active travel. We are grateful to Midland Science for providing us with the training and assistance to develop these IoT based applications. This STEM based learning alone has been fantastic and we can already see numerous spin off projects in making.”

The Abbeyleix Climate Action Project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council Heritage Office, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns and Midlands Science.

The Abbeyleix Climate Action Walk Project was created in 2021 with thanks to Healthy Ireland, an initiative of the Government of Ireland with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and the Sláintecare Fund delivered by Pobal, administrated by Laois County Council.

25th May 2021
Make a switch for nature this National Biodiversity Week, with ten ideas from Heritage Officers
This is National Biodiversity Week. Every day we depend on biodiversity.

Biodiversity or nature is all about us. Everything we rely on is provided by nature. Biodiversity is the variety of life on the planet, how it interacts with the natural water cycles and climate to create ecosystems that provide habitats, and ecosystem goods and services. Goods like timber, healthy soil, raw materials for clothing, food, medicines – everything. Services like carbon sequestration, water filtration, pollination.

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “Take a first step and connect with the wonder of the nature this Biodiversity week. Find a quiet spot and listen to the sounds of nature about you. This is the sound of nature supporting your life”.

International Biodiversity Day is Saturday 22nd May and the theme this year is “We are part of the solution for Nature”. There are some simple switches that can be made that will set us on that pathway. Always the best place to start is where we can have the most influence, and for most of us that is our own homes and gardens.

Here are ten SWITCHES you can make for nature right now:
1. Switch peat moss or compost with peat for PEAT-FREE COMPOST. Ask your garden centre. Or make your own compost. This will help protect our valuable bogs, which are vital for carbon capture and nature.
2. Switch your weekly mow to LET YOUR GRASS GROW. Leave an extra margin around the edge of your lawn and cut it every 3-6 weeks, to provide shelter and food for pollinators. #NoMowMay
3. Switch tap water in your watering can to WATER FROM A WATER BUTT. Rainwater collected from your roof is a good way to re-use water and be more economical with treated water.
4. Switch some of your lawn for a POND OR RAIN GARDEN – all our wildlife needs water and it’s amazing how much wildlife even a tiny pond can attract..
5. Switch pesticides for NATURAL PEST CONTROL AND COMPANION PLANTING. (Carrot fly is distracted by the smell of rosemary and thyme, plant marigolds or lady’s mantle close to tomatoes, nasturtium beside broad beans). Encourage ladybirds to your garden to eat greenfly.
6. Switch chemical fertiliser for NETTLE OR COMFREY FERTILISER. This is made by soaking the plants in water for a few weeks and then diluting the resultant liquid with water. Areas of nettles and comfrey are super for pollinators – bees and butterflies, so a patch has additional biodiversity benefits.
7. Switch cutting hedges at waist height to LETTING HAWTHORN HEDGES GROW TALL AND BLOSSOM. This is vital for pollinators and will bring a wonderful sight and smell to your garden.
8. Switch tidying up to BUILDING A LOG PILE. These are great spots for hedgehogs, bugs and beetles. The garden is not a place for Marie Kondo’s house tidying approach! Check out the Gardening for Biodiversity video series for tips
9. Switch planting the same plants everywhere to PLANTING VARIETY. This will protect your garden from being overrun with any one pest or disease and bring more wildlife to your place.
10. Switch social distance for HUGGING A TREE !
The popular GARDENING FOR BIODIVERSITY booklet and colouring book are still available – click below to download, along with a Pledge your Garden for Pollinators leaflet. These wonderful publications are full of fantastic ideas for your garden. The Garden Birds poster produced in association with BirdWatch Ireland shows you the huge wealth of birds you might attract to your garden.

Click the images to download the publications

The Local Authority Heritage Officer Network is the collection of heritage officers located nationwide, in most counties and local authorities. The Heritage Office programme is supported by the local authorities and the Heritage Council. Heritage Officers advocate for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, through the implementation of biodiversity and heritage plans, working with communities through local government.
21st May 2021

Laois Heritage Projects Awarded Funding under Community Heritage Grants

Five Laois heritage projects have been awarded funding totalling over €44,000 by the National Heritage Council under the Community Heritage Grants Scheme. Nationally, the scheme will see €1.2 million allocated to community groups and not-for-profit organisations. This follows on from an award of €374,599 made to community heritage projects in April 2021.

The funding will boost local economies, grow tourism, and enhance community spirit by supporting local heritage projects.

The projects are all undertaken by voluntary groups and the topics in Laois range from improved access for people with disabilities at Donaghmore Workhouse, and community monitoring of Climate Change on local built heritage to conservation of historic newspapers reporting the historic first East West Transatlantic Flight by the Col James Fitzmaurice and digital recording of medieval monuments.

Trevor Stanley (Secretary of Donaghmore Workhouse &Agricultural Museum) with Catherine Casey (Heritage Officer , Laois Co. Council ) at the opening of the Dining Hall at Donaghmore Workhouse in 2014. The Museum has been awarded funding to improve accessibility for all under the new Heritage Council Community Grants Fund. Photo: Michael Scully

Welcoming the grant awards, Cathaoirleach Catherine Fitzgerald said “These Heritage Council grants amount of over €44,000 to be injected into the Laois economy and I’d like to congratulate each of the voluntary groups involved – the Col James Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society, Donaghmore Famine Workhouse & Agricultural Museum, Mountmellick Development Association, Laois Heritage Society and Laois Federation of Tidy Towns for their hard work on behalf of the people and heritage of the county. Laois always punches above its weight when it comes to quality and quantity of community heritage projects and I’m delighted to see that trend continuing. I wish all of the groups the best with their projects and look forward to hearing about some of them during Heritage Week in August”.

Killeshin c — Killeshin Church with its carved Romanesque doorway will be digitally recorded by Laois Heritage Society under a new project funded by the Heritage Council and announced today (Photo: Laois Heritage Office).

Sean Murray, Chairman of Laois Heritage Society said “We are delighted to have obtained funding for digital 3-D modelling recording of three sites in Co. Laois. The survey will include sites identified as of National importance with regards to the Early Church tradition in Ireland. The Hiberno-Romanesque doorways of Killeshin Church and Timahoe Round tower and Early Medieval Cross Slabs uncovered at Clonenagh in 1989, which were associated with St. Fintan’s Monastery there, will all feature as part of the project. The project will engage with the local communities in the areas and workshops are planned later in the year to train people who have an interest in the digital recording heritage monuments”.

Commenting on the announcement, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, said: “I would like to acknowledge the fantastic work of the Heritage Council in supporting community heritage through this important scheme. As the scope and scale of these projects illustrate, communities play a vital role in caring for all aspects of our heritage. The new national heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030, which will be published later this summer, will recognise the role of communities in safeguarding our heritage and ensure that they continue to be supported.”

Chairman of The Heritage Council, Michael Parsons, said: “These schemes continue to provide a central focus for the work of The Heritage Council. They are testament to the close collaboration between the Council, local authorities and community groups, all sharing a common purpose.”

Teddy Fennelly of the Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society and Michael Parsons, Chair of the Heritage Council, pictured in Fitzmaurice Place Portlaoise (Photo: Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Office).

Heritage Council Community Grants, full details at https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/funding/funding-schemes

Details of Laois projects awarded funding below.

Applicant	Project Description	Offered
Col James Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society	Conservation and Digitization of Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society Archive – Phase 1	€7,550
Donaghmore Famine Workhouse & Agricultural Museum	Donaghmore Accessibility Enhancement Project to undertake elements of the Museum Accessibility Audit supported by the Heritage Council in 2020 to enrich visitor experiences.	€10,800
Mountmellick Development Association	To greatly improve the visitor experience with storyboards, 2 digital productions for use inhouse/website/Facebook.	€11,350
Laois Heritage Society	To digitally record and make accessible vulnerable carved stone features at three Laois sites – Killeshin Romanesque Doorway, Timahoe Romanesque Doorway & Early Christian Cross-Slabs at Clonenagh	€3,400
Laois Federation of Tidy Towns	To establish baseline data of built and architectural heritage via a checklist and monitoring of the key heritage features identified by a Tidy Towns as a tangible indicators of Climate Change	€11,326
TOTAL FOR LAOIS		€44,426

13th May 2021

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.

1st April 2021

€2 million Community Monuments Fund Launched
Malcolm Noonan, T.D, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, has launched the 2021 Community Monuments Fund which will invest €2 million in the protection and promotion of archaeological heritage during 2021. The €2 million allocation is an increase of 75% on last year’s funding.

The grants available under the Community Monuments Fund will help custodians and owners of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of local communities and the visiting public. In addition, they will provide support for heritage professions and job opportunities in building conservation and other traditional skills.

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “Laois County Council is delighted to be working with the National Monuments Service again this year on the Community Monuments Fund. Last year essential conservation work was carried out at Killabban Church under the scheme, and Conservation Plans for medieval churches at Kilmanman and Dysart Gallen were commissioned and the graveyard at Old Lea recorded. None of this vital work would have been possible without the Community Monuments Funding”

Killabban Church with the Conservation Committee, including John Moran and Liam Delaney. The conservation of the church was funded in 2020 through the Community Monuments Fund

Applications by private owners or community groups for funding under the under the CMF must be made to Laois County Council by 12^th April. Application forms and full details are on the website of Laois County Council at laois.ie/heritage.

The Community Monuments Fund was first established as part of the 2020 July Jobs Stimulus introduced in response to the Covid emergency. In 2020, some 71 heritage projects were funded to the value of €1.15 million. It is anticipated that that the 2021 programme being run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s National Monuments Service will support more than 120 projects across the country.

The core aims of the Community Monuments Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments. Funding is available for:
- conservation works to monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support,
- works to improve access to and presentation of monuments, and
- building resilience into monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.
Funding is available in three streams.
- Stream 1 for essential repairs and conservation works at archaeological monuments.
- Stream 2 for development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports to identify necessary conservation measures and any issues requiring future attention.
- Stream 3 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation at archaeological monuments, including development of online interpretative material.
Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage Malcolm Noonan TD said “We have a responsibility towards our heritage and to those who care for it. When we established the Community Monuments Fund in 2020, we did so with the objective of supporting the heritage sector and providing an effective way of assisting Local Authorities and custodians in protecting Ireland’s remarkable yet vulnerable archaeological heritage.

“With the excellent partnership between Local Authorities and our National Monuments Service, the 2020 Fund supported an extraordinary level of community engagement and public participation in heritage. It provided traditional skills opportunities and strengthened the role of heritage in communities across the country, highlighting the role of heritage in providing a strong sense of place and well-being. We are very pleased to be able to grow the fund significantly this year and hope to support over 120 projects which will provide a local economic boost with thousands of hours of employment for stone masons, conservation architects, archaeologists and others, in sustainable job opportunities in the care of our heritage.”

How to Apply

The closing date for applications by private owners or community groups is 12th April 2021.

Community Monuments Fund Application Form: CMF-A Application

CMF Scheme Guidelines: Guidelines document

Note

Completed application forms must be submitted to the Heritage Office of Laois County Council by 12th April. Forms must be submitted in Word format by email only.

Please read the scheme guidelines carefully and compete all relevant sections of the form.

Please note the requirement for an appropriately qualified building conservation professional to oversee any proposed conservation works, and for a comprehensive Method Statement to accompany all applications. See Guidelines above for information on what should be in Method Statements). The absence of a suitably comprehensive Method Statement will result in a project failing at assessment stage.

If you have any questions please contact the Heritage Office to discuss.

Dysart Gallen church had a Conservation Plan funded through the 2020 Community Monuments Fund
5th March 2021
New Approaches to Climate Change: Speaker Series

‘New Approaches to Climate Change’ is a series of free online talks over four weeks starting Wednesday, February 24. The series presents a range of international speakers who challenge how we perceive planet Earth and our collective responsibility as citizens to preserve and protect it. The series is curated by Dr. Niamh Shaw, science communicator in residence in Abbeyleix and is aimed at those with a general interest in climate change and all are welcome. Niamh has a background in science and engineering a wealth of experience in theatre and live speaking and holds the serious ambition to travel in space as a citizen and an artist. Since last September, she has been finding creative ways to engage people in Abbeyleix and the wider area to consider their role in climate action – what is it, and what can we all do about it. This role is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme [2017-2022] in partnership with Laois County Council and Midlands Science, and in association with Abbeyleix Tidy Towns.

Dr. Niamh Shaw said, “The aim of the Climate Speaker Series is to give our local community a taste of some of the really interesting science and research taking place across the globe- from the desert to the poles, and from psychological and systemic impact, climate change is being explored from so many differing points of view. And everyone is working together to find manageable solutions to create a positive climate future and an impact that we as individuals can have on climate change.”

Climate Speakers & Topics

The Climate Speakers series of talks begins on Wednesday February 24 at 7pm with two short talks championing women in science and leadership who are passionate about sharing accessible solutions to climate change. Madeleine Murray presents ‘ Sustainability – individual and systemic action to future-proof our world’. Madeleine Murray is co-founder of the Kinsale-based Change by Degrees, a company co-founded with environmentalist Dr. Tara Shine. The mission of Change by Degrees is to provide sustainability leadership and inspiration for people and organisations. She is an archaeologist by training with experience in research, editing and writing at the School of Archaeology, U.C.D. and the National Museum of Ireland. She is passionate about making complex information accessible and helping businesses to create and tell their sustainability stories.

On the same evening Dr. Niamh Shaw presents ‘How Space teaches us to be better Earth citizens’. In 2017 Niamh participated in a simulated Mars mission that changed forever her way of life, embracing a new approach to sustainability. Niamh is the science communicator in residence for the Abbeyleix Climate Action project, with a deep passion to share the perspective of Earth from space. She recently joined Homeward Bound, a global transformational leadership initiative for women with a background in science and a passion for climate action. As part of this leadership programme, she joins 100 women on an Antarctic expedition in 2022.

On Wednesday March 3rd at 7pm, Sally Weintrobe’s talk “Working through our feelings about the climate emergency” will explore common feelings many of us share about the current state of the climate and the environment; also, what can help us bear these feelings so we can better address the damage and push for change. Sally is a psychoanalyst, working on climate and the environment. She is a Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society, a founder member of the Climate Psychology Alliance and she chairs the International Psychoanalytic Association’s Committee on Climate. Her new book, “Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis” is available this April.

Sally Weintrobe’s book “The Psychological roots of the Climate Crisis” is due out this year

On Wednesday March 10 at 7pm, Dr. Anna Maria Trofaier from the European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Office will talk about “Using Space for climate change: Satellites that monitor our planet’s health”. Anna Maria oversees the sea ice, snow and glaciers projects within the ESA Climate Change Initiative to ensure delivery of technical requirements. She is currently working on developing a Massive Open Online Course on the cryosphere. She has a background in physics and remote sensing, with a focus on polar regions and initially joined the ESA Climate Office as a research fellow.

Dr Anna Maria Trofaier of the European Space Agency

On Thursday, March 18 at 7pm, LIVE from Biosphere 2, Arizona, John Adams & Kai Staats’s talk is “Seeking Earth from Space: Biosphere 2, simulated Mars analogue facilities and what we can learn about sustainability and climate action”. Originally constructed to demonstrate the viability of closed ecological systems to support human life in outer space, Biosphere 2 is now a research facility of the University of Arizona where scientists use the 3-acre site to carry out controlled experiments and study climate, water, energy and sustainability.

Biosphere 2 in Arizona

Heritage Officer with Laois County Council, Catherine Casey said, “Climate change is the most important issue facing humanity and this series of talks curated by Dr. Niamh Shaw provides a range of perspectives on individual and collective responses and research. We hope that these international stories will inform and inspire action we all take at a very local level within our own communities and county”.

Speaking about the involvement of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns in the series, Chairman Robbie Quinn said “We are delighted that our Climate Action project is involved in this series of talks curated by Dr. Niamh Shaw. Hosting this panel of international speakers, it affords us an opportunity to reflect on our local climate action efforts, explore the global context of climate change and then pool this expertise back into our community activities. One of the benefits of this pandemic has been the opportunity to connect with panellists of this calibre, something that probably would not have occurred outside of this unusual time in the world.”

Robbie Quinn, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Mark Clancy, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Niamh Shaw, Science Communicator in Residence; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Mary White, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Ann Lawlor, Creative Ireland Laois and Dr Fiona MacGowan, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns in Abbeyleix during the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project . Picture: Alf Harvey.

Jackie Gorman, CEO of Midlands Science said “The upcoming climate change speakers series provides a unique opportunity for us all to hear from and dialogue with leading voices from fields as diverse as ecology and psychology on issues relating to climate change. Midlands Science is delighted to be involved in this this project which has focused on the local actions in Abbeyleix and is now bringing global voices to the area through the upcoming speaker series. It’s great to see people connecting on this vital issue and engaging with the science that such issues involve.”

The “New Approaches to Climate Change” series will be livestreamed on the Laois Heritage Forum Facebook Page. No registration or pre-booking is required, and all are welcome. Questions or comments can be submitted in advance to heritage@laoiscoco.ie, or posed on the night during the livestream.

The series is part of the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project, supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme [2017-2022] in partnership with Laois County Council and Midlands Science, and in association with Abbeyleix Tidy Towns.

17th February 2021
New “In your Nature” Podcast Launched

A new podcast “In your Nature” has been launched by BirdWatch Ireland in partnership with Laois and Offaly County Councils.

As part of the Healthy Ireland “Keep Well” campaign, the Heritage Office of Laois County Council is running a series of events to people to get connected with nature. The campaign – called Nature is good for You – now sees the launch of a new nature podcast in partnership with BirdWatch Ireland.

“In your Nature” will be available each Monday from 1^st March for six weeks and further series will follow in the summer and autumn. The podcast will be free and available on all leading podcast providers, including Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.

“In your Nature” will be anchored by Laois native Ricky Whelan, Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, and the well-known media voice of Niall Hatch, Development Officer with BirdWatch Ireland. Many people in Laois will know Ricky from his work around the county on swift conservation, and also his roles with the Irish Wildlife Trust and Abbeyleix Bog Project. As a true Midlands conservation expert, he is the ideal voice to lead out this new podcast – an excellent communicator, he delivers regular events and lectures on various bird and biodiversity related topics and has contributed to many radio broadcasts and podcasts both in Ireland and the UK.

Ricky Whelan on Bull Island Dublin. Photograph by Eric Luke copyright.
From the Book IRISH WORKING LIVES by Marie Louise O’Donnell and Eric Luke . Published by Veritas (2019)

The spring series of the podcast will feature topics like the dawn chorus, nest boxes and looking at nature during lockdown. The podcast will also look at wider biodiversity, including spring plants and the bogs of the midlands.

Ricky Whelan said, “I’m delighted we could team up with the local authorities and the Keep Well Campaign to produce this podcast. Just talking about birds and nature excites me and lifts my mood and I hope our audience also gets a lift from listening and in-turn feel a little closer to nature”.

Niall Hatch has been a keen birdwatcher and wildlife enthusiast since childhood and has travelled the world pursuing this interest ever since. Niall has contributed to a wide variety of radio and television broadcasts both in Ireland and abroad and is a wonderful advocate for birds and biodiversity.

Speaking about the launch of the Podcast, Niall said, “When I’m not actually out watching birds, my favourite thing in the world to do is to talk about them. Ricky and I often have great chats about birds and nature anyway, so the logical next step was to record them and let others eavesdrop on our conversations. More people than even before have been turning to nature and developing an interest in wildlife in recent times, and we’re hoping that people are going to enjoy listening to our podcast as much as we enjoy making it.”

Niall Hatch of BirdWatch Ireland

In your nature challenges

The launch of the Podcast will be marked by a series of “In your Nature Challenges” on Laois Heritage Forum social media. Each week, the public will be invited to take part in a particular challenge relating to the theme of that week’s podcast – and prizes will be available!

To enter each challenge, use the hashtag #InYourNature on Laois Heritage Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages and submit a photo, a drawing, a video, even a piece of writing, showing or describing your adventure. A prize will be awarded each week.

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council, said, “We know that this period of lockdown has been very hard on everyone, but we also know that many people have been taking solace and inspiration from nature at this time. As part of the Keep Well Initiative, we are reminding everyone how getting out in nature can be good for your mental and physical health. We hope that the new “In your Nature” Podcast and the Challenges will encourage people to learn more about the biodiversity in their neighbourhood, and take part in some fun challenges to share what they learn.”

To go with the podcast and help with the challenges the newly reprinted “Gardening for Biodiversity” book and colouring book are still available to download from laois.ie/gardening-for-biodiversity and hard copies are available for free from Laois County Council.

Male Bullfinch, courtesy of Eddie Dunne

The In Your Nature Podcast is brought to you by BirdWatch Ireland, Laois and Offaly County Councils and the Keep Well Campaign, an initiative of the Government of Ireland with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and the Sláintecare Fund delivered by Pobal.

16th February 2021
Nature is Good for You!

National Campaign launched to get people connected with nature

The Local Authority Heritage Officer Network has launched a campaign to get people connected with nature, as part of the Government’s “Keep Well” Campaign.

A free booklet “Gardening for Biodiversity” has been produced and is available from all Local Authority Heritage Officers.

Catherine Casey Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “Spending time in nature is good for our physical and mental health. There are plenty of simple things that you can do to help nature in your garden or your locality this spring. Why not make a logpile, or leave a heap of leaves for hedgehogs and insects; feed the birds; or plant bee friendly trees. To find out more about what you can do, we have reprinted the Gardening for Biodiversity booklet and children’s colouring book and they are available for free from Laois County Council Heritage Office. Over the coming months the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network will co-ordinate and promote a series of practical actions for biodiversity that everyone can take part in.”

Gardening for Biodiversity was produced with funding by The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund, supported by the Heritage Council and the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network.

The reprint was funded by the Keep Well Campaign, with thanks to Healthy Ireland, an initiative of the Government of Ireland with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and Sláintecare delivered by Pobal, administered by Laois County Council.

The book and colouring book are available for free from Laois County Council, by emailing heritage@laoiscoco.ie and also available to download here.

In your Nature Podcast

As part of the Healthy Ireland “Keep Well” campaign, the Heritage Office of Laois County Council is running a series of events to people to get connected with nature. The campaign – called Nature is good for You – now sees the launch of a new nature podcast in partnership with BirdWatch Ireland.

“In your Nature” will be available each Monday from 1^st March for six weeks and further series will follow in the summer and autumn. The podcast will be free and available on all leading podcast providers, including Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.

“In your Nature” will be anchored by Laois native Ricky Whelan, Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, and the well-known media voice of Niall Hatch, Development Officer with BirdWatch Ireland.

Spring into nature

Devised by Roscommon Heritage Office and the Heritage Officer Network, the “Spring into Nature” activity sheets in suggest ideas for people to enjoy their local heritage this spring, with a focus on getting outdoors and experiencing nature and built heritage in your locality.

The sheets can be downloaded here in English and Irish or click the pictures below.

Radio Clips

A short series of “Nature is good for you” clips were prepared and broadcast by Midlands 103 radio from winter 2020 to spring 2021. These highlight the value of getting out in nature, and suggest simple things people can do to help nature in their own area. The clips are available on Soundcloud.

Nestbox Guides

As wildlife lovers we are always keen to do what we can for the birds and other wildlife in our gardens, school grounds and on our farms. We can all help in various ways, perhaps by feeding birds in our gardens each winter or providing safe and suitable nest boxes for them to raise young.

Below you will find three downloadable guides produced by BirdWatch Ireland in association with the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network that provide nest box templates and measurements for some of our favourite garden birds as well as for the amazing Barn Owl and roosting bats. Each guide features installation tips to help you correctly position each box to provide safe nesting opportunities for target species and increase the chances of uptake. We were delighted to work with BirdWatch Ireland in the production of these guides. See here for more informtion on the work of BirdWatch Ireland and how to join to support this work.

Garden Bird Nestbox Plans

This guide provides a template and measurements for you to create a range of nestboxes for a number of common garden bird species including, Robins, Blue/Great Tits, Starlings and Spotted Flycatcher. Click the picture to download a high resolution pdf.

Outdoor Barn Owl Nestbox Plan

This guide provides a template and measurements for you to create a Barn Owl nestbox suitable for installation outdoors. Click the picture to download a high resolution pdf.

Bat Roost Box Plan

This guide provides a template and measurements for you to create a bat roost box to safely accommodate roosting bats in your garden. Click the picture to download a high resolution pdf.

The Nature is Good for You” initiative is co-ordinated by the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network as part of the Government’s“Keep Well” Campaign which aims to help people to mind their physical and mental health and well being over the coming months.

Everyone is encouraged to take part in the campaign on social media using the hashtag #NatureisGoodforYou.

Supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in association with the Keeping Well Campaign in your county. Local Authority Heritage Officers are employed by Local Authorities in partnership with the national Heritage Council. Their role is to raise awareness, provide advice, develop/implement policy, collect data, conduct research and promote best practice to value and safeguard heritage for future generations.

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10th February 2021
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 19^th 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

16th December 2020
Launch of Abbeyleix Energy Master Plan

Abbeyleix Energy Master plan to be launched by Duncan Stewart

Abbeyleix is on a path to becoming an energy efficient community, guided by the Sustainable Energy Communities programme and the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project.

The Abbeyleix Energy Master plan will be launched by Duncan Stewart on Thursday 17th December at 7.30pm. The launch will be streamed live on the Laois Heritage Forum Facebook Page. Dr Niamh Shaw, Laois’s science communicator in residence, will be joined by well known architect, environmentalist and media personality Duncan Stewart who will help interpret the master plan and discuss opportunities for local climate action.

Also taking part in the discussion will be Mark Robertson of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) with details of funding available for householders who want to make their homes more energy efficient.

The event is part of the Abbeyleix Climate Action project, a project of Creative Ireland Laois in Partnership with the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022, Laois County Council, Midlands Science and Abbeyleix Tidy Towns.

15th December 2020
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.

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.”

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 .

20th November 2020