COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, March 27, 2023

QUESTION NO.5

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

'To ask the CEO what actions are being proposed by the Council's heritage officer in response to the calls by Kingswood Heights Residents Association to recognise and promote the importance and potential of Ballymount Gatehouse and Castle Ruins which the Association should be seen as the gateway to Tallaght given its location and history; will he appreciate the importance of the issue and make a statement?'

REPLY:

The remaining structures in Ballymount Park including Ballymount Castle and Gatehouse have been examined in the past by a conservation engineer to determine what conservation works, if any, were warranted.  Following those surveys conservation works were carried out to the Gatehouse only, as this was determined by the conservation expert to be the appropriate course of action with regard to that structure.  The remains of Ballymount Castle were considered at that time to be in a ruinous state and conservation works to these were not considered to be the appropriate course of action, due to their condition.  The advice received from the Council's Architectural Conservation Officer in relation to the Ballymount Castle ruins is that they should remain as they are in their current condition.

Adding sites to the heritage trail app is something that is managed by the County Promotion unit. Details of Ballymount Castle will be referred to the County Promotion Unit following which the site will be assessed regarding location, accessibility and safety to determine if it is appropriate to add to the app.