Work on the restoration of the Old St Patrick's Classical School could start as early as next November
Work on the restoration of the Old St Patrick's Classical School could start as early as next November.
The plans to restore the iconic building for use as a county archive are progressing with procurement for the project underway.
Meath County Council held its first public engagement meeting, with the THRIVE Town Team which included residents of the local area, to discuss the proposals last week.
This transformative urban regeneration project in the heart of Navan will provide for the conservation, restoration and adaptive re-use of the former St Patrick’s School /St Finian's Seminary Study Hall.
This building is a nationally important protected structure, and this new project will see it used as a multi-purpose Community Hub and County Archive. It is also envisioned that it will create a new civic space with associated public realm enhancements and new urban pedestrian connections.
During Monday's meeting, Meath County Council planning committee and the project architect discussed the building's history and outlined the plans for the structure. This was followed by an open forum with attending members of the public.
Speaking after this Public Engagement meeting, the first of four planned meetings, Mayor of Navan Cllr. Eddie Fennessy said: "It is very exciting to kick-start this project in earnest with a very open discussion with the people of Navan. This new building holds great potential for community, civic, and creative involvement. I look forward to engaging further with the people of Navan on this topic in the coming year."
Archaeologist, Clare Ryan, said: "Navan and District Historical Society is delighted with the progress made on the rebuilding of St Patrick's Study Hall in Navan. We extend our special thanks to members Vincent Mulvany and Frances Rocks for their extensive research on the building and its history. The meeting on Monday of last week centred on an innovative urban regeneration project in Navan aimed at conserving, restoring, and adaptively reusing the historic St. Finian’s Seminary Study Hall as a multi-purpose Community Hub and County Archive. Additionally, the project includes plans for creating new civic spaces and enhancing urban pedestrian connections'
The project is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the EU through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme.
It's envisioned the project will provide an exciting new public realm and green space, including an outdoor amphitheatre, and create new urban linkages between the medieval core of Navan and the Cultural Quarter. It would also link to the new strategic town centre expansion area in the Trim Road, Carriage Road area, which would include the proposed Navan Central Train Station, thus improving urban mobility and permeability.
It's also proposed that it will provide an archive repository which will store and preserve the written documentation which reflects Meath's social, political, commercial, and cultural history.
Fears for the building, which built between 1837-42 and is affectionately known as Powers Duck Egg, were intensified in 2021, when the roof fell in, sparking fears that the structure could collapse altogether, but stabilisation works were carried out and planning began for the county archive.