ONE of Limerick’s best-known heritage sites, the Treaty Stone, along with Goggin Cottage, Ballyvorneen Outbuildings and Healy’s of Kilfinane, has been awarded funding to conserve notable historic structures under this year’s Historic Structures Fund.
The sites have been awarded funding for diverse reasons including conservation repairs and bringing back into use a previously uninhabitable heritage cottage, the restoration of Historic shopfronts façades and further essential works.
€47,263 was allocated for essential repairs and conservation works to the Treaty Stone pedestal, to secure the long-term integrity and safety of the national monument.
€4million was awarded nationwide through the fund which is administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in partnership with the 31 Local Authorities. The announcement follows that of €4m in funding under the Department’s other built heritage grant scheme, the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, earlier this month.
In addition to supporting owners and custodians of historic and protected structures to safeguard and maintain their properties, the funding will also provide a boost for conservation professionals and tradespeople, including in specialist heritage roles such as thatching and stone work.
Following on from the successful introduction of the Historic Shopfront Stream last year, the HSF has again made funding available for a range of shopfronts including bars and pubs which operate in buildings of historical significance
Through grants of between €15,000 and €200,000, the HSF 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 provides assistance to a wide range of heritage structures with this year’s allocations including awards to historic bridges, castles, churches, mills, libraries, shopfronts, and an old forge, as well as to private houses.
