Funding of nearly €450,000 has been approved for the restoration and preservation of heritage buildings in Galway this year.
The government has approved a package of €8.1 million in grant funding under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2026, including €1.1 million for thatched buildings specifically.
This funding will be used to repair, restore and protect historic structures from traditional homes to landmark public buildings across Ireland.
The Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2026 (BHIS) is for the repair and conservation of structures that are protected under the Planning and Development Acts. Grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 are available
Galway County Council will receive €204,469 for conservation work on 14 historic buildings, while Galway City Council has been allocated €127,500 for the preservation of 11 buildings.
Among those projects is €20,000 for the reinstatement of character and timber windows of the Head Gardener’s House at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara.
The Historic Thatch Grant is meant to support the owners of thatched roof buildings with their obligations to protect these structures and their heritage value.
The grant goes up to a maximum of €20,000 based on the type of building and the nature of the applicant.
Galway County Council has been allocated €115,984.47 for conservation works on nine thatched buildings in the county.
Applications for the Built Heritage Scheme are made to your local authority. The scheme will reopen in July of this year for the next round of funding.
This funding under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme will ensure that the architectural legacy of past generations continues to survive in towns, villages, and rural communities across the country.
“The preservation of our built heritage relies on our taking action today to repair, maintain, and secure the integrity of these buildings with the care and attention they deserve,” Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne said.
“That is why my Department continues to make substantial funding available under this scheme – as well as through other schemes such as the Historic Structures Fund and Community Monuments Fund – thereby helping to renew and protect the fabric of our architectural heritage with each passing year.”
The Minister added that this scheme helps to “Preserve our past while also securing our future by maximising use of existing building stock and helping to prevent or reverse vacancy, dereliction, and underuse.”
