Adopt a Kildare monument under Heritage Council scheme

KILDARE community groups are encouraged to apply to the Heritage Council’s ‘Adopt a Monument’ scheme, which aims to help communities protect and conserve local monuments.

The scheme offers communities expertise, mentoring and support to help them care for their local heritage.

In 2022, Castledermot’s local history group adopted the Dunmanoge church and graveyard, and have since been working with conservation experts, Kildare County Council Heritage Office and the Community Monuments Fund to carry out vital conservation works on the site.

The Dunmanoge ruins are steeped in history and are said to have ancient origins.

An early monastic site was founded there by early monastic saint Finnian of Clonard on land granted by the King of Leinster.

There is evidence in the form of crop marks, finds of medieval pottery and historical records to suggest that the church had been used as a parish church for a village beside the site in the later medieval period.

The village has long since disappeared but the graveyard remained in use up until recently, with many local families having a connection to it.

Since the scheme first began in 2016, 30 groups across Ireland have adopted monuments in their locality ranging from ring forts to 19th century industrial buildings to medieval churches as well as a Gaelic castle.

The Adopt a Monument Scheme is open to applications from enthusiastic community groups all over Ireland to apply to the scheme to adopt a site that is important to them.

The aim is that the chosen monument will serve as a focal point for heritage-related, educational and recreational activities and will encourage a greater appreciation and understanding of local heritage.

The Heritage Council is now calling for interested groups in Kildare to apply for the scheme.

The closing date for applications 21 March 2025.

Further information about the scheme and the application process can be found on: https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/projects/aam