Council to protect stone-breakers' depots

Waterford County Council has promised to take steps to protect the19th century stone depots that are a prominent feature of the…

Waterford County Council has promised to take steps to protect the19th century stone depots that are a prominent feature of the county's landscape.

Environmentalists believe the depots are unique to Waterford but say many have fallen into disrepair and are in danger of being lost.

The depots were built at one-furlong intervals on many of the county's roads to accommodate workers who broke rocks into rubble used to build the roads.

They remained in use until well into the 20th century by county council staff, who used them to park caravans in which work material was stored.

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The Comeragh Community Development Group, which successfully campaigned in the 1970s to have the council restore the depots between Lemybrien and Mahon Bridge, is now seeking to have similar work carried out on other depots. Ms Anne Woods, the group member in charge of the project, wrote to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms Síle de Valera, last year seeking to have the depots preserved as historical monuments.

The Minister replied that protection of the architectural heritage was primarily a matter for local authorities, and suggested the group seek to have Waterford County Council record the depots as protected structures.

The group has since done this and last month applied for a grant of €25,000 to enable it to restore as many of the depots as possible. Each depot, it is estimated, would cost between €3,809 and €5,079 to reinstate.

It would be "a total disgrace", Ms Woods wrote to the council's environment and planning director of services, Mr Denis McCarthy, if the council did not have the depots made protected structures "as a matter of urgency".

Mr McCarthy told The Irish Times the group did not qualify for grant-aid to have the depots restored, as they were owned by the county council. It was the council's intention to have them listed as protected structures. He expected such a proposal to come before the council this year.

He said the council had maintained the depots to date and, if any in poor condition were drawn to its attention, it would have them restored.