Minister for Arts, Heritage and The Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys visited the Irish National Heritage Park recently following the announcement that her department had sanctioned vital conservation works to the Crimean Monument.
Grant funding totalling €72,500 has been ring fenced to stabilise the monument. Recent storm damage and prolonged weathering had caused a health and safety hazard. The significant threat of partial collapse due to structural stress also existed.
The funding was secured through the a national scheme called the Buildings in State Care Grant Scheme, which has a total budget of €711,000 for the conservation and preservation of heritage structures of national importance in the ownership of either the OPW of local authorities.
Manager of the Irish National Heritage Park Maura Bell said that the Minister’s visit was a “pleasant surprise” as the staff had not expected an official engagement with the head of the deparment.
“We just found out a few days beforehand that she was coming down and we were delighted with the opportunity to showcase the park,” said Ms Bell.
She added her sincere thanks to Conservation and Planning Advisor at Ivor McElveen Associates Conservation Consultancy Yvonne Doyle who had worked consistently on the project since its inception.
“Yvonne has been out here everyday monitoring the progress and even traveled to Dublin to access archives to research the history of the monument…we are delighted with her support.”
Senior planner with Wexford County Council Diarmuid Houston revealed that the work commenced last week and was progressing efficiently.
“The scaffolding around the tower is to be completed in the next few days.”
The Crimean War Memorial is situated on an outcrop on the southern banks of the Slaney estuary, overlooking the Wexford/Dublin main road.
The tower is dedicated to the men of Wexford who lost their lives while fighting in the war against Russia in the Crimea between 1854 and 1856.