Funding for Fingal from the Community Monuments Fund

Six locations of archaeological heritage in Fingal will share a total of €391,648 from the Community Monuments Fund 2022 to aid with their works and survey programmes.

Rush Tower House, St Catherine’s Church, Kenure, St Marnock’s Church, Portmarnock and St Columba’s Church & Round Tower Swords will receive a grant of €85,000 each, under Stream 1 which will fund necessary consolidation works.

Under Stream 2 Moat Wood, Naul (pictured below) will receive €30,000 and Balrothery Tower House will receive €21,648 for surveys and conservation plans which will inform future works and assist with heritage interpretation.

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh said: “I welcome this considerable funding which will help protect Fingal’s rich archaeological heritage against the effects of climate change and also support the valuable work being done on the ground by community groups.”

Fingal Heritage Officer Christine Baker said ‘I am delighted to see grants under the Community Monuments Fund announced by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The funding for Fingal is administered by the Heritage Office of Fingal County Council and I look forward to working with the community groups, colleagues and the National Monuments Service over the coming months to protect and preserve these archaeological monuments for the future’.

Building on the impact of the scheme last year 128 projects are being supported with an overall investment of €6 million “to support the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites”.

Under three funding streams the Community Monuments Fund supports a broad range of measures aimed at protecting and promoting archaeological monuments, including emergency conservation repair works at monuments, masonry repair, the development of Conservation Management Plans, access infrastructure and installation of interpretation signage, and social media projects aimed at disseminating knowledge of Ireland’s archaeological heritage.

“I want to commend our National Monuments Service for their huge effort in managing the scheme and the Local Authorities for their incredible support in administering applications. I am particularly happy that we are helping to meet the ambition of local communities across Ireland in protecting their archaeological heritage,” said the Minister for Heritage, Malcolm Noonan T.D.