ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021
CREATIVE FINGAL:
CARING FOR THE COUNTY’S HERITAGE PROPERTIES
FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE
In national terms Fingal County Council is exceptional in being the custodian of a large portfolio of some 35 heritage properties. County Architect Fionnuala May tells Network Magazine why it is important that these buildings are maintained and developed and discusses the challenges involved in managing such a large portfolio.
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The Council’s collection of heritage properties are hugely popular with the public. In 2019 about 150,000 visitors paid to visit Malahide Castle & Gardens while about 100,000 paid to visit Newbridge House & Farm. And even though COVID forced the temporary closure of many of their paid-for attractions, the fact that these flagship properties are set within regional parks means the number of visitors using the outdoor spaces during the pandemic has skyrocketed. But where did this impressive portfolio come from? Some were inherited from Dublin County Council when Fingal was formed in 1994. A number of others, including the flagship properties of Malahide Castle, Newbridge House and Ardgillan Castle, were acquired by the Council at the instigation of the visionary, now retired, senior park superintendent, Michael Lynch. “These are all regional parks that happened to come with heritage buildings,” says County Architect Fionnuala May. “Other properties, like Swords Castle, also came through acquisition. We also have a number in graveyards that we are responsible for and a lot of our libraries are also protected structures.
From my perspective, as a conservation architect, it’s great to have such a wonderful necklace of heritage properties in the county.” May stresses that a strong collaborative approach involving various departments within the County Council is required. The owned properties are looked after by its Economic Development Department, with which May and her staff work very closely, while the Operations Department is responsible for the upkeep of the parks.
& Farm and the Casino Railway Museum. With the recent announcement that this company, Shannon Heritage, is effectively being disbanded, a new operator for those properties is now being sought. Other properties are either managed directly by the Council or have their own boards and staff.
The cost of maintaining and developing its portfolio of heritage properties is substantial. But May emphasises that this is a core part of the Council’s work, ranking equally with its many other important tasks, and this is acknowledged by the elected members of the Council when approving the necessary funds. The Council is the main provider of this funding. It obtains State aids, when it can, such as the substantial capital fund received from Failte Ireland for the major work at Malahide Castle. Since 2012 Fingal has employed an experienced specialist operator to manage public access, events and catering at Malahide Castle, Newbridge House
Fionnuala May
