The Community Monuments Fund
Introduction
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is investing essential capital in our archaeological heritage to help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public. The core aims of the Community Monuments Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and archaeological sites. The Department encourages projects to incorporate a traditional skills training element.
The 2025 Fund will invest a total of €7.4m in the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments. It will:
- Enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;
- build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change;
-
encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation.
On 16th April 2025 the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage announced grant funding for the six projects listed below under The Community Monuments Fund 2025.
-
Reference
Site/Monument
Stream
Award
CMF25-1-DC004 St Audoen’s Medieval Church, Cornmarket, Dublin 8 1 €100,000.00 CMF25-1-DC003 St Mary's former COI Crumlin, Dublin 12 1 €77,124.72 CMF25-1-DC002 St. Patrick’s Cathedral 1 €100,000.00 CMF25-2-DC003 Quaker Burial Ground Cork St 2 €29,520.00 CMF25-2-DC004 St Michael's Tower, Dublinia 2 €29,999.70 CMF25-3-DC001 St Michael's Tower, Dublinia 3 €28,905.00
St Audoen’s, High Street, Dublin 8, CMF works 2024
Drimnagh Castle & Gardens, CMF works 2023
St Canice’s Church, Finglas CMF works 2022
On 14th April 2024 the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage announced grant funding for the four projects listed below under The Community Monuments Fund 2024
| CMF ID No | Site Monument/Project | Stream | Award |
| CMF24-1-DC001 | St. Audoen's, High Street Dublin 8 | Stream 1 | €100,000.00 |
| CMF24-2-DC002 | St Mary's Church, Crumlin, Dublin 12 | Stream 1 | €100,000.00 |
| CMF24-2-DC001 | St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin 8 | Stream 2 | €30,000.00 |
| CMF24-3-DC001 | St. Canice's Church, Finglas, Dublin 11 | Stream 3 | €29,993.55 |
The 2024 Fund will invest a total of €7,000,000 in the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments nationwide.
The fund will be administered locally by Dublin City Council Archaeology, Conservation and Heritage Section, coordinated by the City Archaeologist.
In 2021 a total of 10 projects were supported by CMF in Dublin City.
| Project ID | Location | Funding | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMF21-1-DC002 | Clontarf Graveyard | €70,000.00 | Stream 1 |
| CMF21-1-DC003 | Drimnagh Castle | €42,308.00 | Stream 1 |
| CMF21-1-DC004 | Donnybrook Graveyard | €70,000.00 | Stream 1 |
| CMF21-2-DC001 | St. Nicholas Within Church | €20,000.00 | Stream 2 |
| CMF21-2-DC002 | St. Canice’s Graveyard | €29,520.00 | Stream 2 |
| CMF21-2-DC003 | Merrion Graveyard | €11,070.00 | Stream 2 |
| CMF21-3-DC001 | Huguenot Cemetery Merrion Row | €17,484.50 | Stream 3 |
| CMF21-3-DC002 | Cabbage Garden Graveyard | €17,484.50 | Stream 3 |
| CMF21-3-DC003 | Ballybough Jewish Cemetery | €20,000.00 | Stream 3 |
| CMF21-2-DC001 | Bluebell Graveyard | €11,070.00 | Stream 2 |
In 2022 €240,000 was made available for 5 projects in Dublin City.
| Site | Outcome | Applicant | Award | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Audoen’s Medieval Church | Works Stream 1 | Church of Ireland | €85,000 | CMF22-1- DC004 |
| St Canice’s Graveyard Finglas | Works Stream 1 | DCC Parks | €85,000 | CMF22-1- DC001 |
| Christchurch Cathedral | Conservation Management Plan Stream 2 | Church of Ireland | €30,000 | CMF22-2 -DC001 |
| Drimnagh Castle | Conservation Management Plan Stream 2 | Drimnagh Castle | €30,000 | CMF22-2- DC002 |
| St James’s Church and Graveyard |
Interpretative Audio Guide Stream 3 |
DCC Parks | €10,762 | CMF22-3- DC001 |
In 2023 a total of 6 projects were supported by CMF in Dublin City.
| Site | Outcome | Applicant | Award | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Audoen’s Medieval Church, Cornmarket, Dublin 8 | Works Stream 1 | Church of Ireland | €93,416.65 | CMF23-1DC001 |
| Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch Place, Dublin 8 | Survey Stream 2 | Church of Ireland | €30,000.00 | CMF23-2-DC004 |
| Drimnagh Castle & Gardens, Long Mile Road, Dublin 12 | Works Stream 1 | Drimnagh Castle & Gardens | €120,000.00 | CMF23-1-DC002 |
| St Mary's former COI Crumlin, Dublin 12 |
Conservation Management Plan Stream 2 |
Church of Ireland | €30,000.00 | CMF23-2-DC001 |
| City Walls-Cook Street & Lamb Alley, Dublin 8 | Survey Stream 2 | DCC Archaeology & Heritage | €28,019.40 | CMF23-2-DC005 |
| St Canice’s Graveyard, Finglas, Dublin 11 | Works Stream 1 | DCC Parks | €100,000.00 | CMF23-1-DC005 |
Building on the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Funds, the 2024 Community Monuments Fund will invest in our valuable archaeological heritage and help the owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public. It will:
- enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;
- build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change;
- encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation.
The Community Monuments Fund has 3 Streams:
- Stream 1 will offer grants up to €100,000 aimed at essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments
- Stream 2 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports that are aimed at identifying measures for conservation of archaeological monuments and improving public access.
- Stream 3 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation (including virtual/) at archaeological monuments.
Full details of the fund are set out in the handbook and associated documentation, which should be carefully read and noted by all applicants. Please contact [email protected] if you wish to discuss a possible project.
St Canice Finglas - Conservation & Management Plan Published
The purpose of this conservation and management plan for St Canice’s ecclesiastical site is to assess the history, cultural significance, and current condition of the graveyard – its monuments and boundary wall.