Publications & Reports

Using the conservation plan methodology introduced into Ireland by the Heritage Council,
the historical significance of all aspects of the building and site were documented. Based on a
careful survey of its qualities, Consarc Architects drew up plans for the building’s re-use. 

The
Heritage Council, conscious of the rich tapestry of history that could be read in the buildings,
was anxious to demonstrate that 'heritage' is a living thing, and that having a respectful attitude
to heritage does not curtail creativity, or contemporary interventions.

These guidelines have been developed for Ecological Consultants to standardise both the methodology for survey of structures within the Heritage Council’s Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme and the reporting of same. In developing these guidelines, we have drawn on a wide range of expertise and believe that the advice given is the best that is currently available. Bat surveys submitted to the building owner and the Heritage Council must adhere to these guidelines in order to satisfy grant requirements under the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme.

One of the initiatives identified by the Heritage Council’s Strategic Plan 2007-2013 is that archaeological research issues and practice in the widest sense should be more overtly and consistently identified and from time to time reviewed. These research issues should also engage more with what both specialists and local communities find interesting about the past. To contribute to this the Heritage Council commissioned Mr George Lambrick to examine aerial archaeology in Ireland. Aerial Archaeology is the practice of using aircraft (or in some cases satellites) to provide a high-level view of the landscape based on conventional photography and a range of remote sensing technologies. That review is presented here.

The remit for this study was to inform national policy on issues relating to the conservation, enhancement and sustainable development of villages in Ireland. The stated aim was: “to examine the ways in which Village Design Statements have progressed and developed in Ireland, with particular emphasis on the involvement of the Heritage Council, Local Authorities / Local Authority Heritage Officers in VDS and the adoption of VDS as Supplementary Planning Guidance”.

This Public Realm Plan for the Walled Town of Fethard seeks to provide a strategic framework by which the town can maximise the benefits of its many assets, without losing those special qualities that give it character and charm. 

This approach is under-pinned by the wider need to place archaeological research into the context of public access, life-long learning, social inclusion and cultural diversity. The recommendations in this report attempt to address the crisis in which Irish archaeology was experiencing at this time.

The Bolton Library, Cashel, is one of Ireland’s great, but little known  treasures. The bequest of Archbishop Bolton, it provides a rich insight into the cultured milieu in which such a patron lived and the wide breadth of his learning and aspirations. 

It complements other such collections in Ireland, from the same period, such as the Worth Library and Marsh’s Library, both in Dublin. The donation of the Bolton Library to subsequent generations provided a legacy beyond price.

The Plan has established that Lemanaghan is:
• A sacred place of great antiquity
• A place containing buildings of architectural significance
• A place rich in documentary history and archaeological potential
• A place where there is a long tradition of devotional practice
• A place 'apart', possessing a strong sense of being untouched by the modern world

The Heritage Council of Ireland established the Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN) in April 2005
‘to unite and co-ordinate the strategic efforts of local authorities involved in the management, conservation and enhancement of historic walled towns in Ireland, both North and South’
The Irish Walled Towns Network is formally linked to the International Walled Towns Friendship Circle (IWTFC) which is the international association for the sustainable development of walled towns, walled cities and fortified historic towns.

Newtown is a deserted medieval town, dating back to c. AD 1200, when it was founded near a crossing point on the River Nore not far from Thomastown and the Cistercian Abbey of Jerpoint. The site contains the standing remains of St Nicholas’ Church and a domestic tower, both of which are partly overgrown and tending towards dilapidation. The site also contains the well-preserved outlines of burgage plots, some of which contain the remains of house platforms which have survived despite clearing works on the site in the 19th century