Funding has been announced for projects under the Community Monuments Fund 2025. The Community Monuments Fund invests in archaeological heritage and helps owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public. Funding goes towards the care, conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments. Of the 7.5 million awarded, many projects across Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford will collectively receive over one million euros.

Midlands Community Monuments Funding

Laois

Two historic buildings in Laois will share almost €230,000 euros. Clonreher Castle near Portlaoise will receive €129,000, while €100,000 has been approved for works on Tankardstown Church near Barrowhouse. In the past Barrowhouse was a parish of it’s own and was called Tankardstown Parish. The ruins of that church which was possibly destroyed in 1798, are in Tankardstown cemetery.

Led by the Broomfield family, ongoing work on Clonreher Castle is conserving the 15th century O’Dowling castle. The castle project will recieve €129,000 in funding as part of a larger allocation of over €7.4 million for 140 projects across the country.

Longford

In Longford, Abbeyshrule Abbey has been awarded €100,000. Built in 1150, it is one of Ireland’s first Cistercian abbeys, situated in the picturesque valley of the River Inny in Abbeyshrule village.

Offaly

In Offaly, €129,681.65 will be invested into Tobberdaly House and Folly, built in 1780, with some of the former glory of its demesne surviving as a reminder of its impressive past. The folly which remains is located on a height with spectacular views over the surrounding area. Ballintemple Church receives €94,879.40.

Westmeath

Castlelost Church in Westmeath will receive €126,914.00 and €100,000 goes to Phase 2 of Kilpatrick. Castlelost in Rochfordbridge is a Church of Ireland church, built c.1815, comprising two-bay hall with attached three-stage tower on square-plan to the west having a raised parapet.

Core Aims of the Fund

Since its inception in 2020, this fund has become a lifeline for the protection of Ireland’s irreplaceable archaeological heritage by revitalising hundreds of historic monuments in cities, towns, villages and rural communities across all 31 Local Authorities. 

The core aims of this Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and presentation of archaeological monuments. It will:

• Enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support
• Build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change
• Encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation.

For more information see Gov.ie