National Trust, tax exemptions cited among measures to save architectural heritage
Frank McDonald
Environment Editor
Unless concerted action is taken, Ireland is in danger of losing for ever one of the major components of its architectural, cultural and historical heritage, the surviving great houses built by its former landed class.
According to Dr Terence Dooley, author of a report on the future of Irish historic houses, most of them are "faced with difficulties which threaten their existence in the future unless immediate steps are taken to avert these threats".
He said the financial burden of day-to-day maintenance, conservation and restoration had become such a major problem that major works could only be undertaken by raising capital through the sale of contents or land.
The continued existence of Birr Castle was now dependent on the life of Lord Rosse, whose death would trigger a discretionary trust liability of several million euro in the first year and several hundred thousand in each year following, he said.
An order of nuns, the Sisters of Sion, decided to sell Bellinter in Co Meath last May, saying the costings they were quoted for upgrading it as an adult education and conference centre, as well as its continued maintenance, were prohibitive.
Although the Benedictine nuns have turned Kylemore Abbey in Co Galway into one of Ireland's most visited tourist attractions, areas of the house are infested with dry rot which needs to be eradicated immediately, the report says.
The futures of other major houses such as Strokestown Park in Co Roscommon are so dependent on commercial tourism to generate funds to maintain them that they will inevitably be affected by the downturn in the tourist industry, the report says.
Bantry House, in Co Cork, was closed to the public this year because even its €1.3 million turnover was insufficient to cover prohibitively high public liability insurance costs, rising wage bills, PRSI and VAT and overheads, particularly heating.
The report notes that Lord Altamont has threatened to close Westport House in Co Mayo because of rising public liability insurance costs. Even for a relatively small country house, the annual insurance premium would be around €18,000.
The Irish Music Rights Organisation had major plans to develop Aldborough House in Dublin as its headquarters, after years of ill-use by Telecom Éireann, "but it seems that the huge restoration costs are possibily beyond its reach" Even buildings in State ownership may be at risk, according to Dr Dooley.
Houses such as Ballyhaise in Co Cavan and Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford face an uncertain future due to Teagasc's latest cutbacks, his report warns.
It also suggests that standards of maintenance at publicly-owned properties such as Ardgillan Castle, Malahide Castle and Newbridge House, all in Co Dublin, may be hard to maintain due to the shrinking budgets of local authorities.
But State ownership is not always the best way forward.
"If the Government is refusing to build schools and is closing down hospital wards, can it justify to the public its involvement in expensive historic house restoration projects?" the report asks.
Calling for the establishment of a national trust to take charge of great houses, Dr Dooley said one of its key elements would be an "inalienability provision" whereby none of its properties could be sold off without an Act of the Oireachtas.
Another key element would be the granting of tax exemption in cases where owners donated their properties to the trust or where others, such as business people with large incomes, donated money for the restoration of great houses.
The report, A Future for Irish Historic Houses, focuses on 50 properties, only 14 of which are still in the hands of their original families. Others are in use as country house hotels, colleges, hospitals, offices and even a prison (Shelton Abbey).
The author says their preservation should not be be seen as a celebration of the landlord system but rather of "the great artistic achievements of the architects who designed them and the everyday works of craftsmanship of those who embellished them".
Johnstown CastleCo Wexford
Newbridge House Co Dublin
Strokestown Park HouseCo Roscommon
Birr Castle Co Offaly
Westport House Co Mayo
Kylemore Abbey Co Galway