Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Kilkenny church to benefit from major EU funding

A Kilkenny city church could be about to receive EU funding as part of a major EU city's project.

The historic Saint Mary's Church and graveyard in Kilkenny City could benefit from a major EU project linking Kilkenny and nine other European cities that have just secured EU funding for the next three years.

Known as 'The Links Project' the initiative focuses on, “future proofing” historic city centres with the aim of promoting tourism and sustainable development.

The other participating cities are Bayonne in France, Anderlecht in Belgium, Evora in Portugal, Brasov in Romania, Freiburg in Germany , Budrio in Italy, Veria in Greece and Delft in the Netherlands.

According to Councillor Malcolm Noonan, “one of the key aims of the project is the ecological restoration of historic buildings and it is believed that Saint Mary's will be used as a template so that it could become a pilot project.”

He added that a special architect with ecological and conservation expertise has been included in the team to draw up the parameters of the reconstruction of Saint Mary's.

SIC: CIN/IE