“The preservation of historic buildings is not without its challenges. For example, thatch, by its very nature, presents particular conservation issues. So I have asked my Department to explore what actions are necessary to ensure the continued survival of this important aspect of our heritage.
“This year, my Department is providing €624,000 under the Structures at Risk Fund, to allow individuals and Local Authorities to take positive action to protect historic buildings and structures in their area. Our built heritage is an incredibly important asset in terms of tourism and a great source of pride and enjoyment for local communities.
“I would like to thank everyone who helped in producing these publications, including the authors, Local Authority staff and the staff in my Department. I hope that these guides will be of interest to general readers, including local historians, teachers and all those involved in promoting the understanding of the conservation of these important aspects of built heritage.”
The publication Thatch—a guide to the repair of thatched roofs’will help owners to look at their historic thatched roof in a new light with greater understanding of the extraordinary heritage, skill and craftsmanship of many generations which it embodies. It is also intended to equip them with the necessary information to identify problems at an early stage and decide how best to tackle them.
The purpose of the second publication; Paving—the conservation of historic ground surfaces is to advise the custodians of historic paving, whether private owners, institutions or local authorities, on how to conserve and care for such surfaces and plan for their repair.
Copies of these booklets—and the previous nine published—are available through the Government Publications Sales Office, Irish bookshops or online from www.wordwellbooks.com and are priced at €10 each.
The above two booklets are also free to access at: