Heritage minister highlights Navan conservation works at launch of Historic Towns 2020 Initiative

The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, today launched the 2020 Historic Towns Initiative, providing €1 million in funding for heritage-led regeneration in our historic towns.

The Historic Towns Initiative (HTI) 2020 is a joint undertaking by the Department and the Heritage Council. It builds upon the successful HTI 2018 and 2019 projects, which together funded conservation-led projects in twelve towns across the country. 

Navan was among the six towns which received funding in 2019.  Others included Ballina, Co. Mayo,  Kilrush, County Clare, Boyle, County Roscommon,  Nenagh, Co. Tipperary and Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

Meath County Council was awarded €160,000 for  conservation works undertaken to the St Laurence Hotel and the Meath Chronicle Building in Market Square as part of the HTI 2019 to rejuvenate, repair and refurbish the facades of these important buildings. The works have regenerated the area. The St Laurence Hotel is a terraced five-bay three-storey house over basement, built circa 1780, that suffered from unsympathetic alterations to the facade in the 1980's and had in recent years been left to decay. For the Meath Chronicle building - a terraced six-bay three –storey former house, built c.1750, with integral carriageway arch - more substantial structural intervention was required. The regeneration of Market Square with the newly renovated and refurbished St Laurence Hotel and Meath Chronicle Building has benefited the town, the community and the visitor experience of Navan.

Minister Madigan said: ‘I am delighted to launch another year of the Historic Towns Initiative, which will support the regeneration of even more Irish historic towns. This Initiative will make €1 million available to a number of towns which will in turn help drive investment and renewal.’

Heritage-led regeneration can breathe new life into a town, helping to provide an attractive environment where people can live and work. The renewed vibrancy in the heart of a town brings its own economic benefits as footfall and visitor numbers increases and new light shines into once-vacant commercial and residential premises.

Chairman of the Heritage Council, Mr Michael Parsons said: ‘Programmes such as this rely on the strength of local communities and businesses in caring for their historic town. With support from local and national government we can use heritage to improve the quality of life for all in our historic towns.’

A town seeking to benefit from the Historic Towns Initiative should possess significant cultural and heritage assets and have an indicative minimum population of 1,500 inhabitants. 

The HTI 2020 is open for applications from local authorities from 5 December 2019. Funding applications must be submitted via the Heritage Council’s online grants system. The closing date is 7th February 2020. 
  
The Heritage Council will host a workshop for local authority personnel interested in applying for the HTI 2020 in its offices in Kilkenny on 10 January 2020. 

For more information about the Historic Towns Initiative visit http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/historic-towns-grant-scheme