Over €194,000 awarded to built heritage projects in Kilkenny

A sum of over €194,000 has been awarded to built heritage projects in Kilkenny.

Funded projects include thatching and roof repairs, historic glass conservation, and joinery, according to Minister of State Malcolm Noonan who announced the funding this morning.

Some of the projects include St Lachtain's Church in Freshford (€13,600 for wall repairs), St Johns Church, John
Street in Kilkenny (€9,500 for external wall repairs), and €11,000 for historic machinery repair at the Deerpark Mills, Deerpark in Mullinavat.

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. The scheme 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 by providing match-funded grants of up to €15,000 for standard projects (not involving thatch).

The scheme is not limited to private dwellings; it also provides assistance to a wide range of other important heritage structures. This year’s BHIS includes awards to historic landmarks such as Blackrock Hospice in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Deer Park House in Clare, Castle Oliver in Limerick, and Trinity College in Dublin, as well as historic church buildings, mills, and castles.

Also included under this year’s scheme is funding of €500,000 for conservation repairs to eligible historic thatched structures. Grants of up to €20,000 for thatched structures are available through the scheme.  A total of €251,862 has been allocated to Carlow Kilkenny.