Mutton Island Lighthouse Restoration
Galway Civic Trust and the Heritage Office of Galway City Council have begun work on the restoration of Mutton Island Lighthouse and Keeper's Cottages with the support of a grant for protected structures in public ownership from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

In recent months the Trust's FÁS team, under the experienced eye of foreman Michael Davis, have been securing the roof of the cottages, which has badly deteriorated in recent years. Rotten timbers have been removed, the roof inspected for dry rot, and large areas will need to be re-slated. Attention will then turn to the windows and for this we are indebted to Irish Lights Commissioners who have supplied a large number of the original plans, including details of the sash windows. The lighthouse itself was built to last, and apart from needing to be re-glazed, and fitted with a new handrail, the stonework will need some maintenance. It is hoped finally to whitewash the lighthouse as a landmark warning to mariners and an attractive feature for perambulators!

Jim Higgins, Heritage Officer with Galway City Council, is supervising the conservation work. Thanks also must go to Civic Trust Board Members Frank Harewood (Consultant Engineer) and Padraig Redmond (Conservation Architect), who are advising on this major restoration project. FÁS have done Trojan work throughout the city in the conservation of our heritage and Pat Bergin is an invaluable resource for advice and support. The glazing company of Mr. Noel Grealish T.D. has agreed to sponsor the re-glazing of the lighthouse, and Mark Kelly of Mark Kelly Décor who has supplied the paint. Míle Buíochas.

This is the biggest project Galway Civic Trust has undertaken to date.

Projects
1 - New Projects
2 - Tea House Folly
3 - Rusheen Bay Bird Sanctuary
4 - St. Augustine's Well
5 - Bollingbroke Fort
6 - Lime Kiln
7 - Waterways