24 December 2025
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
NO REPRO FEE – Cork County Council announces CMF 2026. Important conservation works at Cloyne Round Tower were undertaken with the support of CMF 2025.
Cork County Council is inviting private owners, custodians, and community groups to apply for funding to support the care, conservation, maintenance, protection, and promotion of archaeological monuments in their area.
The 2026 Community Monuments Fund will enable conservation works to be carried out on archaeological monuments deemed to be significant and in need of support. €7.5 million has been made available nationally for the scheme in 2026.
The fund aims to build resilience in monuments, enabling them to withstand the effects of climate change, to encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation. The Scheme has three streams of funding, all of which offer cover up to 100% of eligible costs and include conservation works, conservation management plans and enhanced access and interpretation as well as emergency works.
Welcoming the scheme, the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley said, “County Cork has a rich archaeological legacy, with almost 20,000 recorded monuments across the County. Through the Community Monuments Fund, vital support has been provided in recent years for a diverse range of important archaeological projects. I strongly encourage owners and groups to apply under the 2026 programme.”
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell said, “The Community Monuments Fund is an initiative of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and has become an important avenue for supporting and promoting archaeological heritage across County Cork. The Scheme is administered at the local level by Cork County Council’s Heritage Unit and continues to attract strong interest each year, reflecting the high level of engagement and commitment to heritage protection throughout the County.”
The deadline for submission of completed applications is 16:00 on Friday, 30th January 2026. Applications can be made electronically by emailing corkheritage@corkcoco.ie or a hard copy may be submitted to: Community Monuments Fund, Cork County Council, Heritage and Conservation Office, Floor 3, Planning Department, County Hall, Cork. Further information and Application Forms can be found on our website corkcoco.ie.