Impressive updates on iconic Tipperary landmark repair project

After what must have seemed like an incredibly long summer for the organisers of the Copper Steeple restoration project, heritage stonemason, Tom Pollard, is now hard at work at the top of the chimney.

Earlier this year the Heritage Council of Ireland offered funding of €25,000 from the Community Heritage Grant Scheme towards the repair of iconic steeple.

The works need to be funded and completed in one as the Steeple is 96 feet (29.3 metres) high - built in 1863 and needs to be scaffolded to the top for the heritage stone mason to consolidate the structure.

Copper Steeple has been deteriorating for a number of years and in the past year several more large stones had dislodged and fallen from the top.

The steeple is the much recognisable landmark and beacon of the Slieveardagh Hills coal mining heritage and a community fundraising drive is necessary to ensure it remains standing for future generations to admire. €41,000 is needed in total.

The community has really gotten on board in the past few months with all sorts of community fundraising events taking place across the Slieveardagh Hills to help fund the project.

Some of the community events that took place in recent months included an ‘80s and ‘90s disco night in The Bit & Bridle Pub in Killenaule and a fundraiser hosted by the Miners Rest and Siobhan O’Connell.

The project fundraising efforts are now finished and the fundraising targets have been met.

To kick off work last month, Patsy Maher, son of Máiréad and direct descendant of Kennys the Masons, who built Copper Steeple, took on the voluntary groundwork for the Copper Steeple. Patsy and his crew started work at 7am on Saturday, September 21, and by midday, a site access roadway and new level hard-standing around the base of the steeple were in place.

The masonry work on Copper Steeple will continue for the next few weeks. It’s an impressive sight, the scaffolding is 13 stories high reaching to the top of the structure.