2025 has seen an increase in the number of people participating in training courses for skills such as thatching, drystone walling and joinery.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has said that interest in traditional building skills has resulted in a record number of participants in training events organised through the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS).

The NBHS has fully funded or subsidised 45 traditional skills events around the country.

These events provided 341 people with conservation advice on the day-to-day maintenance, retrofitting and reuse of traditional buildings.

The NBHS assembled a team of conservation experts and practitioners for a series of short traditional skills training and information events aimed at owners and prospective owners of traditional buildings, along with contractors and professionals looking to upskill in the likes of thatching.

Courses included subsidised training in thatching, the use of traditional lime and earth mortars, hedge laying, drystone walling and traditional joinery.

There were also eight 'Taking on a Traditional House' events which provided information on grants available, retrofitting and reuse of traditional buildings; and eight 'Conservation Clinics' which allowed owners of traditional buildings to seek advice with an accredited conservation professional.

Commenting on the apparent success of these training courses in 2025, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said: "We are very fortunate in Ireland to have such an array of unique buildings and historic structures, but these require traditional building skills in order to conserve or restore them.

"Keeping our important built heritage alive is something I am proud my department supports. I was delighted to see so many participants avail of training provided by the National Built Heritage Service," Minister Browne added

Also commenting on the training courses, Minister of State for heritage and biodiversity Christopher O' Sullivan said: "I strongly believe in the importance of local communities working to protect and conserve our shared built heritage, and I recognise that this relies on the dedication of many different parties, including owners, custodians and skilled craftspeople.

"The necessary traditional building skills have been in danger of disappearing, so it is incredibly heartening to see these training workshops building year on year with forty-five events in 2025," Minister O' Sullivan added.

As well as the training courses which will continue in 2026, there is also funding available for projects next year under the Historic Structures Fund, which closes for applications on January 16.

"The historic structures fund is one of the key funding streams for the conservation and protection of our historic buildings and streetscapes. We have a duty towards our built heritage and the historic structures fund will help to ensure that it continues to enrich all of our lives," Minister O'Sullivan added.