€160,000 for historic Meath monuments

Navan's Town Walls and St Erc's Hermitage in Slane are among a number of projects in Meath to receive funding for conservation and protection from the Community Monuments Fund.

Five Meath projects will receive a total of €160,000. Navan's Town Walls and Babe's Bridge in Navan St Michael's Priory in Duleek, St Erc's Hermitage in Slane and Beaubeg Gatehouse, Beamore outside Drogheda are the monuments to benefit.

Minister Damien English welcomed the announcement. “The Community Monuments Fund was first established in 2020 to provide investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage and today sees the announcement of places such as abbeys, churches, walls and shrines receiving funding for conservation.

"This is fantastic news for the County. The town walls and Babe’s Bridge alone go back to the 12th century so anything we can do to protect the remains is really important in keeping our history alive.

Part of this funding is prioritised for local authorities, private owners and custodians and community groups for the care, conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments. The Community Monuments Fund will invest essential capital in our valuable archaeological heritage and help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public."

Minister English continued: “The impacts of climate change on our monuments is increasingly evident. Increased maintenance and repair will be key to building resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of a changing environment. I welcome the funding today for these historical areas of Meath.”

Senator Shane Cassells welcomed the allocation for archaeological heritage works at Babe’s Bridge in Navan and on the Navan town walls.

“Our archaeological heritage in Navan is very important to the local community and it is great that the Department has awarded this funding for the conservation, maintenance and protection of the town walls and Babe’s Bridge.”

“€22,033 has been allocated for Babe’s Bridge while there is €14,760 for Navan’s town walls.

“Babe’s Bridge and the town walls are very important and beloved heritage features in Navan, however, they are both in need of care, attention and protection and this funding has come at the right time for these two sites due to their current condition,” said Senator Cassells.