Press release
St Patrick’s Cathedral renovation works complete
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
- Ministers laud new roof conservation project
- Most significant renovation at Cathedral in over 150 years
- 14,000 individually hand cut roof slates installed on roof
- €9.4million project aided by €1.2m from Department of Housing
The most significant renovations at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin in over 150 years have been completed, with Government Ministers joining the Dean of the Cathedral today to inspect the multi-million works.
The Roof Conservation Project at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, which was part-funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, included the replacement of roof slates, gutters and walkways, as well as the repair of masonry, glazing and carpentry, and upgrades to essential fire protection systems.
According to the Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, The Very Revd Dr William Morton, the project has seen the Cathedral’s most significant renovation in 160 years and will secure the 800-year-old medieval building for generations to come.
Crucial support for the €9.4 million project came from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage totalling €1.2 million, including grant aid under its Historic Structures Fund. The Department’s most recent support, in December of last year, ensured work on the roof could continue through the winter, when it was most at risk from the elements, and also in accordance with Covid-19 restrictions at that time. Ministers O’Brien and Noonan visited the Cathedral in December of last year, and were delighted to return nine months later to assess the completed works.
Speaking in the garden of The Deanery today, Friday 17 September, Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD, said:
“On behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I am delighted to be able to join in the celebrations marking the completion of this huge and vitally important work at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The Government is committed to safeguarding Ireland’s heritage for future generations and my Department was pleased to able to support the restoration works at this nationally important building.”
Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD was delighted that funding through the Historic Structures Fund saw the works through to completion, particularly as Covid threatened to pause works to the roof at their most critical time.
“It is wonderful to see the works at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral completed. Today is a celebration of the culmination of two years’ hard and highly-skilled work, made all the more challenging by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department was delighted to support these works through its Historic Structures Fund, which provides assistance to owners of protected structures across Ireland to care for their historic properties. ”
Speaking at the event, the Dean remarked:
“The support of €1.2m from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to the roof project of Saint Patrick's Cathedral was essential to its successful completion. This hugely appreciated donation from Government has ensured that the Cathedral is conserved and continues to serve as one of Ireland's top listed buildings in terms of heritage and culture in the widest sense - ecclesiastically, musically, architecturally, and economically. It also ensures the Cathedral is a Dublin destination ever-increasing in popularity, regularly in the higher regions of visitors' 'must see' lists. I wish to offer my deepest thanks to Minister Darragh O'Brien and Minister of State in his Department, Malcolm Noonan”
The event marked the end of a two-year conservation project, which included the replacement of more than 14,000 roof slates. All these slates were individually hand-cut.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About financial support for built heritage from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage provides two grant schemes for the conservation and repair of protected structures. These are the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), both of which are generally administered through the Local Authority. Combined funding of €6m was made available through these schemes in 2021, providing support to over 550 buildings across the country. Both schemes are closed for applications for the current year but it is intended to make both schemes available next year and both the Local Authorities’ and Department’s websites will be updated to include details of the 2022 schemes later this year:
For further information visit here.
About Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral stands adjacent to the famous well where tradition has it Saint Patrick baptised converts on his visit to Dublin.
The parish church of Saint Patrick on this site was granted collegiate status in 1191, and raised to cathedral status in 1219. The present building dates to the mid-thirteenth century. The Cathedral is today the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland (a church of the Anglican Communion) and also serves as one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland. The Cathedral welcomes over 600,000 visitors in a typical year.
Today the Cathedral is open to all people principally as a place of worship, but also as a place of immense historical and architectural significance and importance. Charges are made for those visiting for sightseeing and these contributions directly support the future of the Cathedral.
For further information, visit the website here.
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Press Office
Tel: (01) 888 2638 (direct)
Email: press@housing.gov.ie
Website: gov.ie/housing
Twitter: @DeptHousingIRL