Further funding boost for Kells Sawmills project

Work is due to being in September on the new Centre for Typographic Excellence at the old Sawmills in Kells.

An additional grant of €800,000 for the project announced last week by Minister Heather Humphreys has paved the way for work to begin.

The Sawmills, which had been a popular community arts space for over a decade, will undergo a major development programme costing €1.7 million which will see the building transformed in to a centre of typographic excellence.

The new centre, when completed, will house fully restored Kells printing presses which date back to the 1830s and at one time printed the Meath Chronicle.

The big attraction in the centre will the Wharfedale printing press dating from the 1830s. It is the same make as the Wharfedale press that was used in Liberty Hall, Dublin to print the Irish Proclamation in 1916.

The Wharfedale machine is one of only two if its kind currently on the island of Ireland.

The Sawmills community arts facility closed in September 2021 to allow Meath County Council carry out the work to create the centre for typographic excellence.

Funding of €920,000 was made available for the project through the Towns and Village Renewal Scheme. However with building cost repidly inceasing the cost had risen to €1.7million, Meath County Council had to look for additional funding.

"Over the summer months there was ongoing communication with Minister Heather Humphreys and the council in a bid to get the additional funds. I was delighted to play a part in securing the additional €800,000," said Cllr Eugene Cassidy.

"This will be a game changer for tourism in Kells. Work is expected to start in September. It will attract more visitors to the town and more importantly prolong their stop in Kells, which will benefit businesses in the area. A lot of good things will happen for Kells over the next few years, including the public realm plan. Everyone working together will make Kells a more vibrant town."

Mark Smith, the creative Director of Kells Type Trail said it was a great achievement to get this project over the line, just six years almost to the day from they moved the old printing press ot of Maudin Street.

“We are extremely grateful to Surrey-based Father Sean Finnegan who donated the print works to the people of Kells..

“The press was tucked away gathering dust in Maudlin Street, Kells and came to our attention when local resident Angela Ryan informed a meeting of Kells Local Heroes four years ago of its existence.

“Since then the five presses have been meticulously restored and work is now now underway on restoring the guillotine. This is a great achievement by Meath County COuncil and Municipal Council, The Heritage Council of Ireland, Creative Ireland, Bank of Ireland and the Department of Rural affairs."

He said the centre will be a fantatic asset to the north east.

"It will hold tourists in Kells. There is great interest in lettering as an art form. I was at a conference in the US last year and they were so excited when they heard Kells. They are celebrating a few hundred years of lettering as an art form, were we can celebrate 1500.

He paid tribute to Meath County Council's Heritage Officer, Loreto Guinan and Arts Officer, Gerardette Bailey for their staunch support for the project.

The proposed works will transform the building in to a functioning print works that celebrates lettering as a modern art form which will tie in with the legacy of St Colmcille and the world famous Book of Kells.

Mark explains that the Sawmills had been a great community resource since the late Jim Nevin allowed it to be used as a community arts space twelve years ago.

It was the headquarters of the Kells Type Trail and had been used by the local scouts, the Active Retirement Group and Kells Local Heroes.