Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Danny Collins, Welcomes Investment of Over €550,000 for Architectural Heritage Projects
An investment of €556,654 has been announced for Cork County under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and Historic Structures Fund (HSF), two heritage funding schemes run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in association with the country’s 31 Local Authorities.
Under the BHIS for Cork County, 17 projects will benefit from funding to the sum of €169,154 with €42,753 specifically for conservation works in respect of five thatched buildings, located in Charleville, Glanworth, Kanturk, Killeagh and Mitchelstown. The balance of €126,401 will support conservation works in respect of 12 buildings, which are the Glebe House in Castlemartyr; Hill House in Cobh; 13 Main Street and Saint Mary’s Church of Ireland Church in Doneraile, Patsy’s Corner in Kinsale, Chapel Hill School of Art in Macroom, Midleton College in Midleton, Saint George’s Arts and Heritage Centre in Mitchelstown, Rockenham House in Passage West, Ballinterry House in Rathcormac, The Sisters of Mercy Convent in Rosscarbery and Myrtle Grove in Youghal.
Five projects from Cork County in Bantry, Cobh, Kinsale, Mallow and Passage West, will benefit from the Historic Structures Fund (HSF). By providing 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, including castles, churches, mills, bridges, shopfronts, and thatch structures, as well as to private houses.
Bantry House will be in receipt of €200,000 and Mallow Castle Granary Buildings will receive €80,000 with a further €80,000 ringfenced for 2024. Overall HSF funding for the County of Cork in 2023 amounts to €387,500. Welcoming the allocations, the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins said,
This allocation of over €550,000 through the BHIS and HSF is a very welcome investment in the unrivalled built heritage of County Cork. These funds will facilitate important heritage conservation works at 17 different properties throughout the county. Through excellent heritage practice and schemes such as the BHIS and HSF, the built heritage of County Cork is clearly being valued and I wish all applicants success with their projects.
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 by providing match-funded grants of up to €15,000 for projects. The scheme is not limited to private dwellings; it also provides assistance to a wide range of other important heritage structures and in 2023, funding included the ringfencing of €500,000 for conservation repairs to historic thatched structures.
Speaking of the allocations, Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey added,