Mayo town to receive funding to boost local economy and address vacancy
The Heritage Council, along with Minister of State Malcolm Noonan, has today announced that 11 historic towns will share €1.3m funding under the 2023 Historic Towns Initiative (HTI) – and one of them is Ballina in north Mayo.
The funding will help to provide jobs through heritage-led regeneration, aid the rebuilding of local economies and address vacancy, with heritage as the consistent focal point.
A joint initiative between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Heritage Council, this year’s scheme follows on from highly successful projects during 2018 to 2022. The HTI seeks proposals that encourage the specific re-use of historic buildings, with works on this year’s projects to be completed before the end of the year.
Ballina is set to receive €240,000 as one of three conservation projects funded under the initiative. The aim is to continue the conservation works to the Belleek Gate Lodge protected structure. This project will allow for re-use of the structure as a residence for artists, writers, ecologists, historians, environmentalists and community engagement.
Commenting, Minister Noonan said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates the huge progress being made as part of Heritage Ireland 2030 and these projects will richly enhance the look and feel of each of the towns involved. This announcement demonstrates our commitment to heritage-led regeneration as part of our efforts to tackle vacancy and roll out our Town Centre First policy, creating town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit.
“Looking through each of the projects, I am filled with a sense of hope and excitement about the potential for growth in our towns in a way that puts heritage front and centre, and am looking forward to seeing the completed works.”
The chairperson of the Heritage Council, Dr. Martina Moloney, added: “It is appropriate that in a week where we as a country celebrate our national cultural heritage for St. Patrick’s Day, that we can admire the efforts of local authority partners and communities in preserving and protecting our valuable built heritage through the Historic Towns Initiative.
“It is a fantastic scheme which will play a pivotal role in facilitating the re-use of vacant buildings in our town centres by tackling dereliction and helping us meet our climate change targets.”
Virginia Teehan, chief executive of the Heritage Council, commented: “The Heritage Council is very pleased to, once again, administer the Historic Towns Initiative in 2023. I would like to congratulate the 11 successful towns that will benefit from the scheme in 2023 for their innovative and heritage-focused projects.
“Collaboration is the cornerstone of the scheme, which owes its success to the determination of community groups, local authority partners and colleagues in government, all of whom work together with the Heritage Council to guarantee that our rich heritage is cared for and protected.”
As well as Ballina, major funding has been granted for Castleisland, Co. Kerry; Bantry, Co Cork; and Monaghan, Co. Monaghan. In addition, funding has been awarded to the relevant local authorities for five heritage-led regeneration plans. It is hoped that such plans will inform future applications for conservation funding in: Macroom; Co. Cork; Duleek; Co. Meath; Ramelton, Co. Donegal; Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford; Ballymote, Co. Sligo; Carlow, Co. Carlow (€40,000); and Drogheda, Co. Louth (€40,000).