Minister of State Noonan visits heritage sites in Galway City

- The Spanish Arch and Tirellan Castle recently received funding under the National Monuments Fund

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, visited Galway City on Friday 23rd July to witness the work being carried out at two sites – the Spanish Arch and Tirellan Castle - for which funding under the Community Monuments Fund has recently been granted by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Minister met with the Mayor of Galway City, Cllr. Colette Connolly and a number of Galway City Council staff at the Spanish Arch early on Friday morning to get an overview of the ongoing works to the landmark site.

Over €79,000 in funding has been awarded towards the Spanish Arch under the Community Monuments Fund under Streams One and Two. The Irish Walled Towns Network have been assisting Galway City Museum and Galway City Council in their efforts to construct a new medieval wing to the museum that will also allow access to the top of the Spanish Arch. Funding has been provided for the preparation of a city wall conservation management plan, and to carry out essential repairs and protection works at the Spanish Arch, wall-walk and adjacent archaeological site in preparation for a future development works at the site.

Speaking on the projects, Minister Noonan said: “The core objective of the Community Monuments Fund is to support the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites and I am delighted to witness this work first-hand, here at this iconic site in Galway City.”

Acting Director of Services for Transportation, Planning & Physical Development for Galway City Council, Uinsinn Finn, added:

“We are delighted to welcome Minister Noonan today, and to give him an insight into the work being carried out both here at the Spanish Arch and at Tirellan Castle. These sites hold an important place in the history of Galway City and it is crucial that they are preserved to the highest possible standards – this is helped greatly through the funding from the Community Monuments Fund.”

Minister Noonan’s visit also took in the site of Tirellan Castle, where significant conservation works commenced in the last year as part of Galway City Council’s Castles Conservation and Enhancement Project. This work will be complemented by the €100,000 in funding also secured under the Community Monuments Fund - including funding for Merlin Castle.

Examples of some of the work carried out include the preservation of original carved stonework; vegetation treatment; the consolidation of unstable masonry walls and openings; and the reassembly of windows with new limestone grafts. The aim of the works is to conserve these historic castles, to make them more accessible and lead to a rediscovered appreciation of their history and the significance they continue to hold in the present day.

ENDS

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