More than half a million to be pumped into architectural heritage projects in Cork

The Mayor of the County of Cork has welcomed an investment of over €550,000 in architectural heritage projects in the county.

The investment, which amounts to €556,654, was announced for County Cork under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and Historic Structures Fund (HSF), two heritage funding schemes which are run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in association with the country’s 31 Local Authorities.

Welcoming the allocations, the Mayor of the County of Cork, Councillor Danny Collins, said the funds would facilitate important heritage conservation works at 17 different properties throughout the county.

“This allocation of over €550,000 through the BHIS and HSF is a very welcome investment in the unrivalled built heritage of County Cork,” Cllr Collins said.

“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.” 

Under the BHIS allocations for Cork county, 17 projects will benefit from funding to the sum of €169,154, with €42,753 allocated specifically for conservation works on five thatched buildings, located in Charleville, Glanworth, Kanturk, Killeagh and Mitchelstown.

The balance of €126,401 will support conservation works on 12 buildings, which include Castlemartyr’s Glebe House, Hill House in Cobh, 13 Main Street and St Mary’s Church of Ireland in Doneraile, Patsy’s Corner in Kinsale, and Chapel Hill School of Art in Macroom.

WORKS

Works will also be carried out on Midleton College, Mitchelstown’s St George’s Arts and Heritage Centre, Rockenham House in Passage West, Ballinterry House in Rathcormac, the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Rosscarbery and Youghal’s Myrtle Grove.

Five projects, in Bantry, Cobh, Kinsale, Mallow and Passage West, will benefit from HSF funding.

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, helping them 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 receive €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.

The BHIS assists owners of heritage structures, including those on local authorities’ record of protected structures and those in architectural conservation areas, to meet their obligations to care for their properties, 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 about the allocations, Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey, said: “Heritage is one of the county’s greatest assets and as a council we welcome the opportunity to administer and support these schemes which provide essential funding for the conservation of important heritage buildings.”