Friends of Merlin Woods seek further funding to restore wall

By Melissa Anderson

A volunteer group – working to conserve Merlin Woods one piece at a time – is seeking further funding from the Heritage Council to allow them finish restoring the area’s ancient dry-stone wall.

The Friends of Merlin Woods have received funding from the Council over several years and have used the money to rebuild a substantial section of the historic stone walls, which can be seen on the original 1840 maps.

Lead volunteer with Friends of Merlin Woods, Caroline Stanley, said the group would love to get the entire wall completed over the next few years.

“It’s a very long wall – and a very historic wall as well; it’s a real feature,” she said.

The volunteer group also lobbied for money to restore Merlin Castle, a process which began early last year. Structural repairs, including the stone windows and chimney, have been completed.

However, to fully restore the castle, a new roof worth around €100,000 is needed – and Ms Stanley hopes that funds put aside for castles by Galway City Council will be allocated to the roof, although it will first have to go to tender.

She said that she would like to see Merlin Castle put back into community use once its restored.

“We’re looking at upskilling people in the community and then the castle could be used as a community building, or for Heritage projects as well to do with biodiversity and history.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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