Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, suckler farmer, John Larkin and his family availed of the latest tranche of the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme to repair a 19th century farm building that was a school in a former life, 200 years after it first opened.
The scheme is run by the Heritage Council and the Department of Agriculture. It aims to ensure that traditional farm buildings and other related structures that contribute to the character of the countryside are conserved for active agricultural use.
The Larkin’s 200-year-old farm building sits on the roadside just outside of Castlerea.
It was originally built as a school house under the patronage of the Sandford family, but was converted in 1900 for agricultural use when it was altered to include a cow byre, which is an access point for cattle and a storage area for root crops used as cattle feed.
John Larkin said: “The structure of the building had been deteriorating for quite some time. The roof remained intact until the 1970s but when it was damaged by a storm in the 1980s, it [then] fell into disrepair, leading to the eventual loss of a large part of the roof.”
“Years of water ingress followed, damaging the structural integrity of the building, destabilising the front wall, and damaging the eastern gable. The instability of the walls had become a safety concern. It was clear that without some intervention the building would be lost,” he said.
“We have used the yard surrounding the building for years. It was an ideal place for feeding calves and separating sick animals from the herd, but we could only access a small section of the building itself. Our hope was to repair the building, bringing it back to its use as an agricultural building while also preserving the 200 year-old heritage.
“We decided to apply for the scheme in early 2023. The application process was thorough. Anna Meenan, the project manager of the Traditional Farm Building Scheme in the Heritage Council, was very helpful and guided us through the various conservation requirements,” said the Castlerea farmer.
“The walls required extensive repointing, and certain parts had to be rebuilt using the original stone and lime mortar. The roof was repaired using traditional methods. The rafters, battens and slates were reconstructed using the photographic records. All timbers were treated using wildlife friendly preservative,” he said.
“We were mindful of the rich biodiversity in the area and the large number of bats and swallows, so several biodiversity measures were taken. Louvre windows will be placed in all the window openings to allow small birds access the building for shelter.
“A cluster of rowan trees will be planted to the west of the building, providing food for birds in the winter. Pollinator flowers will be planted to the east of the building to encourage bees, and create a pleasant roadside feature,” said John.
“Undertaking these projects can be challenging but we were very fortunate to find highly skilled craftsmen who could work within the conservation ethos of the Heritage Council. We are very grateful to stonemason, James Murphy, and carpenter, Martin Madden, who despite difficult weather conditions, persevered and achieved incredible results.
“We also wish to thank the conservation consultant overseeing the project, Aine Doyle. Her consistent advice and guidance from the very start of the project was instrumental in ensuring a successful outcome,” he said.
“We were delighted to have the origins of the building confirmed by a local researcher, who found records showing that the school house opened in September 1823, meaning that the building was being restored exactly 200 years after it first opened.
“Works are progressing well. We would like to thank the Heritage Council and the Department of Agriculture for the funding allocated to this project, without which this project would not have been possible.”