OPW Matters October 2021

opw matters V2.10.2021

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Cover: The Oculus room at Ireland’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

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Customs House Facelift

Contents

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Introduction

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Ireland’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

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Community News and Events

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News In Brief

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Recent Conservation Projects In Dublin North

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LiDAR: OPW releases new three dimensional information about Irish terrain as ‘Open Data’

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Customs House Facelift

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Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study Post-Consultation Report

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Minister O’Donovan views progress on conservation and planned refurbishment projects on Sceilg Mhichíl

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Weather Stations for Schools project

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Protect our Past Campaign

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Introduction Patrick O’Donovan, T.D. Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works

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Welcome to the second edition of OPW Matters. Last week we had the announcement of a revised National Development Plan (NDP), the largest ever delivered in the history of the State and as Minister of State at the Office of Public Works I am delighted to set out the ambitious programme of work that the OPW will be delivering in the months and years ahead.

As a country we are very fortunate to have a growing population but with that significant growth comes new pressures on the State’s infrastructure. This National Development Plan has to balance the needs of our current population with the needs of future generations to reduce our carbon footprint, prepare for climate change and protect our heritage assets.

With an investment of over €4 billion under the revised National Development Plan 2021–2030 the OPW will deliver projects and programmes that put sustainability and climate action at the core of its work and clearly demonstrate the organisation’s evolving role as a leader in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon, resource-efficient economy.

The significant investment made under the National Development Plan published by Government will allow us to implement the changes required to protect communities across Ireland from the impacts of climate change through 150 future-proofed, adaptable flood risk management schemes. Each of these schemes makes an enormous difference to the quality of life for people living in flood prone areas across the country.

It will also allow us to support key climate action targets by increasing the energy efficiency of the State’s portfolio by significantly reducing the carbon footprint in 137 public buildings. In tandem with this investment is the creation of more agile digitally enabled workspaces that will meet the current and future operational needs of our client Departments. In addition €290m is to be invested in regional buildings primarily, helping to strengthen rural economies and communities.

The Government’s infrastructure investment into heritage sites nationwide, finally, will help us to protect and promote our built and archaeological heritage through sensitive conservation, refurbishment and animation for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

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Ireland’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

The local use of inner courtyards and gardens to provide shelter from the sun echoed with the enclosed cloister gardens found in Western medieval architecture. Combining this with an exploration of Ireland’s Neolithic passage tombs dating back more than 5,000 years and their relationship to the landscape and sun through their carefully calibrated openings and artful engravings, the architects’ ambition was to reflect the understanding of solar orientation and its capacity to function as a metaphoric instrument in the building they designed.

These inflections of eastern and western historical architecture are expressed in the pavilion’s structure and layers: simple geometries inform the pavilion’s proportions at base, with a composition of two symmetrical square buildings connected by a cloistered walkway. The exterior of the building has elemental and simply proportioned columns and beams give a timeless architectural quality, referencing Ireland’s historical buildings.

Columns are spaced 3m apart and inset between each column is a perforated cladding panel with a solid decorative inlay of contemporary impressions of the outstanding examples of Neolithic art found on kerbstones in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Knowth. These decorative perforated panels act as a solar protection barrier during the day and bounce elements of Ireland’s ancient past off the ground with the play of light and shadow. At night, they are illuminated, reflecting inwards and outwards to the passers-by.

The architecture of Ireland’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

In early October, the Irish Government announced the programme for Ireland’s presence at Expo Dubai – the largest World Expo to date and the first one in the Middle East.

Expo 2020 places creativity at the centre of human experience in the twentyfirst century. Engaging with the Expo’s theme Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, visitors will have the opportunity until 31 March 2022 to experience Ireland as the “island of inspiration and creativity”.

Ireland’s pavilion, designed by the Office of Public Works for the Department of Foreign Affairs, is the stage where these personal encounters will take place and itself encapsulates the cross-fertilisation between different traditions, or “minds”, and the resulting inspiration for new, sustainable design approaches adapted to the specific environment.

This is the second time that a team of the Office of Public Works’ architects, led by State Architect Ciarán O’Connor and Assistant Principal Architect Ger Harvey, have designed Ireland’s pavilion. Their approach to designing the Irish pavilion for Dubai 2020 started with an environmental analysis of the site, followed by researching Middle Eastern architecture for its solutions to the harsh desert climate.

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Inside the pavilion, the visitor’s gradual east-west progression through the building begins with an immersive time travel experience between Ireland and Middle East, past and present. Entering the first building from the east, visitors are drawn into a circular exhibition space under a raised cone-shaped roof, topped by an opening towards the sky which may be covered or unveiled and gives the room its name: Oculus. They emerge from here through a passageway into a second distinct space, a sheltered courtyard, the Garden, which will be the stage for a vibrant cultural programme involving a wide range of Irish creatives throughout Expo.

A harmonious relationship between built and natural environment is key to the OPW’s work and the pavilion’s design reflects this by making sustainability an important principle from the inception of the design process to the detailing of the construction materials and environmental systems employed. Energy modelling of the pavilion has been carried out to ensure the operational energy required to service the pavilion is within sustainable limits. The steel frame construction with an external envelope of columns made of rendered fibre cement board has been designed to allow the recycling and re-use of materials, just like the pavilion in Milan. However, at present it seems likely that the building will remain on site and serve as an education hub once the world exhibition ends next spring. In this way, too, the OPW’s design of Ireland’s pavilion responds to the Expo’s theme of “creating the future”, addressing the challenges of creating a sustainable built environment that adapts to evolving requirements.

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Community News and Events

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Minister meeting with Dromahair Community Association / Tidy Towns during visit to Leitrim.

The Group made a presentation to the Minister on the proposed future use of the Former Garda Station and Married Quarters in Dromahair, Co. Leitrim. The OPW has since agreed to enter into a Lease Agreement with Leitrim County Council for their use of the former Dromahair Garda station and residence for community purposes.

Minister O’Donovan, John Moran, Philip Russell, Michael Doran and John Paul Phelan TD discussing Graiguenamanagh Flooding Relief Scheme, Co. Kilkenny, and the impact flooding has had on their homes and businesses. This flood relief scheme is currently at Stage 1 (Scheme Development and Preliminary Design). The River Barrow passes through Graiguenamanagh, and was once a significant river ‘highway’.

It was developed as a commercial navigation route in the mid-18th century and Graiguenamanagh served as a base for commercial barges operating on the river until barge traffic ceased in 1959. The barges that once lined the quaysides have since been replaced by pleasure craft. Unfortunately, the town has suffered significant flood damage in recent years, given its location on the Barrow and proximity to the Blackstairs mountains. The town follows a medieval layout with a number of water runs established to support its milling tradition. This adds to the unique medieval fabric of the town. It also contributes to the complex environment that is badly in need of flood defences.

Minister O’Donovan with Ena Bunyan, PRO of the Lis towel Riverbank Group. In August, the Minister announced that the OPW had appointed Ward and Burke Ltd. As contractors to undertake remedial works along the northern bank of the River Feale, adjacent to Convent Street (R553) in Listowel, Co. Kerry. Winter storms in February 2020, resulted in the collapse of a section of elevated bank slope along the northern bank of the River Feale, adjacent to Convent Street in Listowel, Co. Kerry. This scheme will provide protection to 18 properties on Convent Street.

May 2021, Minister O’Donovan officially opened the Pollinator Trail at Fota House, Arboretum and Gardens, Cork. The Pollinator Trail was developed in partnership with the Office of Public Works (OPW), the Irish Heritage Trust and the Irish Bee Conservation Project.

The purpose of the trail is to further enhance the visitor experience of these wonderful gardens, while showcasing the biodiversity in existence here and helping to enhance understanding of the delicate balance at play within this environment.

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Minister O’Donovan with Cllr Daniel Butler, Lord Mayor of Limerick, City and County, attending the opening of the OPW exhibition, All Creatures Great and Small, which opened to the public on 7 October at the Red Door Gallery in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. All Creatures Great and Small is focused on artworks that depict birds, animals, fish and insects and their interaction with humanity and includes 33 artworks from the OPW State Art Collection and the Northern Ireland Civil Service Collection. Each artist brings their own individual approach to the depiction of living creatures and this diversity makes for a thoughtful and interesting exhibition. A free catalogue accompanies the exhibition, which was also shown in the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre and Portumna Castle earlier this year. Since the late 1990s, the Office of Public Works (OPW) and the Department of Finance, Northern Ireland (DoF) have worked in partnership organising an annual touring art exhibition which showcases artworks from the two public-owned collections in venues across the island under changing themes.

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Seamus O’Brien, Head Gardener at Kilmacurragh Botanic Gardens

Kilmacurragh Botanic Gardener Honoured

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The OPW is proud to announce that Seamus O’Brien, Head Gardener at Kilmacurragh Botanic Gardens, has been made a fellow of The Explorers Club.

As a fellow, Seamus enters the top tier of The Explorers Club, alongside other Fellows and Honorary Fellows including, E.O. Wilson, Sir Edmund Hillary and President Theodore Roosevelt.

King John’s Castle, Carlingford Donegal Garda station

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News In Brief

OPW secures double win at Royal Institute of Architects (RIAI) Awards The OPW has achieved high-profile accolades for two projects shortlisted for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Awards 2021.

The RIAI supports and regulates the architectural profession in Ireland and promotes the value that architecture brings to society for everyone’s benefit.

The awards, announced in July, acknowledge achievement in architecture and celebrate the quality of work carried out by RIAI members and the contribution registered architects make to the built environment.

Both of the OPW’s shortlisted projects achieved success, securing recognition across no less than three categories.

The winning OPW entries were: King John’s Castle, Carlingford - joint winner for the Public Space category. www.riai.ie/riai-public-choice-award-2021#gallery-30 Donegal Garda station project – achieved success in the categories of Culture, Public and Sustainability. www.riai.ie/riai-public-choice-award-2021#gallery-10

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Recent Conservation Projects In Dublin North

In addition to providing a reactive maintenance service, OPW Property Maintenance is responsible for carrying out planned and preventative maintenance and minor capital works in the State’s portfolio of owned and leased buildings. As part of this programme of work, the Dublin North Regional Office has recently carried out some significant conservation projects to maintain, repair, and refurbish a number of protected structures.

Scoil Caomhin, Department of Education campus, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1

Clontarf Garda Station

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Eithne Moran, Senior Architect Dublin North

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Conservation works were carried out in 2020/2021 to repair the façade of this school, originally built as a laboratory building in 1902. There was extensive cracking, and large areas of the existing sand-cement render had failed and become detached from their substrate. There was also damage to ornamental details including dentils, string courses, and cornices.

The render was removed, structural repairs carried out to masonry and brickwork, and the building re-rendered in lime, with a ruled ashlar finish. New lead dressings were provided to string courses, and timber sash windows were also refurbished. The school remained open and fully operational throughout.

Team: Dermot Hally (Dublin North); Alan Bruce (OPW M+E); Ian Wolfe (OPW CSE); 7L Architects (consultants); Carron and Walsh (Consultant QS); P.J.Hegarty (Measured Term Maintenance Contractor)

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Scoil Caomhin completed external view

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Contract sum: c.€570k ex VAT

Deerkeeper’s Lodge

Clontarf Garda Station

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Built in 1909 to designs by Robert Cochrane, this building retains its early form, character and much of its fabric. Significant deterioration of the brickwork, due to its exposed location on Clontarf seafront, necessitated a programme of facade repairs, as well as repointing of chimneys and refurbishment of all rainwater goods. Methods of brick repair included pigmented lime slurry; pigmented mortar repairs; and replacement bricks to match existing; as well as repointing with lime mortar. All timber windows, as well as the fascia and soffit, with its ornamental brackets, were also repaired and refurbished.

Designed by Jacob Owen, and built c.1840, this lodge was one of several buildings built to accommodate specific management roles in the Park. Dublin North carried out an extensive refurbishment of the house in 2020/2021, including dry lining external walls, new floor finishes; new kitchen / bathroom fit outs, as well as repairs to roofs, windows, and outhouses.

Team: Paul Condon (Dublin North); Colin Blanche (OPW M+E); 7L Architects (Consultants); Oldstone Conservation (Main Contractor).

Team: Sean Lynam (Dublin North); Sheridan Woods Architects (Consultants); Cundall (Consultant M+E Engineers); Gibson Builders (Main Contractor)

Contract Sum c. €220k ex VAT

Contract sum c. €350k ex VAT

Deerkeeper’s Lodge, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8

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Mountjoy House

Mountjoy House, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8 Mountjoy House was built in c.1728, and forms part of the Ordnance Survey campus in the Phoenix Park. Works comprised full re-roofing, including new battens, slates, ridge tiles, and lead work; repair of existing roof vents and cupolas; and refurbishment of all rainwater goods. Repairs were also carried out to chimneys, including repointing and re-rendering. Internally, all structural timbers were repaired. Works are currently nearing completion, and will safeguard the building against further deterioration while longer-term plans are developed for its refurbishment.

Team: Martin Brennan and Michael Farrell (Dublin North); CORA (Consultant Engineers); Leonard and Williams (QS); Barbary Roofing (Main Contractor) Contract Sum c. €637k ex VAT Officers’ Club, Garda HQ, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8 The Officers’ Club in Garda Headquarters dates from 1863, and was designed

by Enoch Trevor Owen. This project was initiated in response to previous emergency works that had led to the installation of protective netting under a number of decorative plaster ceilings at first floor. Works comprised the repair and re-finishing of these ceilings by specialist stuccadores, which required major structural interventions at second floor level, including replacement of existing modern stud walls with timber braced partitions, and new steel supports. Extensive fire safety works were also carried out at attic level, and new methods of safe maintenance access installed.

Team: Gavin Skelly (Dublin North); Susan Nakazibwe (Graduate Architect); John Doyle (OPW M+E); CORA (Consultant Engineers); Leonard and Williams (QS); Tolmac Construction (Main Contractor); Richard Calder (OPW Fire and Security)

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Officers’ Club

Contract Sum c. €300k ex VAT

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Early attempts by scientists to measure distance by light beams were made in the 1930s with searchlights that were used to study the structure of the atmosphere. In 1938, light pulses were used to determine the heights of clouds. Because of its accuracy, LIDAR was used in the 1970s by NASA in its development of exploratory spacecraft. Applications for LIDAR continued to expand over the following decade. However, it was not until the arrival of commercially available Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment and inertial measurement units (IMUs) in the late 1980s that accurate LiDAR data was possible.

OPW releases new threedimensional information about Irish terrain as ‘Open Data’ Vincent Hussey and Robert McGivern, Flood Risk Management

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High value Light Detection and Ranging data (LiDAR), captured as part of Flood Risk Management Projects, has been made publicly available by the Office of Public Works.

The OPW released the highly accurate three-dimensional information captured as part of Flood Risk Management Projects as ‘Open Data’ under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license through the Geological Survey of Ireland’s Open Topographic Data Viewer.

The OPW is releasing this data in support of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’ Open Data Initiative, which calls for all of Ireland’s State Agencies to enable access to data of local and national importance

Patrick O’Donovan, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), said: “I am delighted that OPW is making this data freely available with attribution for all commercial and non-commercial projects which is in support of the Governments Open Data Strategy. This is a high value dataset and by making it openly available it provides new opportunities for research and innovation to take place in the areas that the data covers, while also helping improve on existing products and techniques.”

Open data is based on the concept that results of research should be freely accessible to all to allow knowledge to move forward in the common good.

As such, Open Data is data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed by anyone – subject only, at most, to the requirement that the source of the information is attributed to its producer.

This data was initially prepared for the Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study (ICPSS) and the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CRFAM) programme. The CFRAM programme was carried out by the OPW and the ICPSS was carried out by the Department of the Marine, DCENR (later the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine and OPW). Further work to bring the data into a single dataset was carried out as part of the Flood Estimation Methodology for Ireland (FEMI) programme by the OPW.

The OPW LiDAR data covers many urban and coastal areas across Ireland and is freely useable, with attribution, for all commercial and non-commercial projects. The data covers the main urban areas in the country and much of the coastline in the East and South East.

The Open Topographic Data Viewer was developed by the Geological Survey of Ireland in 2018 and hosts a large amount of data from the GSI, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and other bodies.

LiDAR data is collected using a laser sensor on aircraft or satellites. It generates a dense cloud of points from which a digital elevation model (DEM) or digital map showing ground elevations on a regular grid is created. The data released has a cell size of 2 or 5 meters, so the points are 2m (or 5m) apart on a regular grid. This data is used in a wide range of software, including many freely available ones, for example GDAL (www.gdal.org) and QGIS (www.qsis.org).

The positive impacts of open data are wide-ranging and cover political, social and economic spheres. These can range from improving transparency and efficiency of government to its potential use for business innovation, as well as a vast array of social and personal benefits.

Further information on open data in Ireland and access to other Irish Public Sector data can be found on Ireland’s open data portal – data.gov.ie.

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OPW Conservation Services and (BMS) Building Maintenance Services coordinated and carried out a programme of planned maintenance works to the exterior of the Customs House. The works included the cleaning and repointing of granite paving and steps to the surround landscape, painting of 315 linear meters of cast-iron railings, full refurbishment of all windows to the Liffey façade, painting of all 536 windows & external doors, and specialist cleaning and localised repairs of the stone façade.

Where required, extensive window restoration was completed in the BMS joinery workshop at Collins Barracks. The sash windows were restored using traditional restoration techniques. Windows were assessed and repaired with splicing repairs using new timber (southern yellow pine) with the team retaining as much of the historic timber as possible. Windows were then primed for painting and re-puttied before being brought back to site for reinstallation.

The South/Liffey Portland stone façade had experienced a greater build-up of black carbon/gypsum on the stone due to the proximity to the road. All granite and Portland stone facades were given a low pressure, high temperature steam clean. The Portland stone south/Liffey facade portico with pediment and the ground level windows decorative surrounds, including river gods, had a careful chemical clean with an alkaline cleaning solution which breaks down and softens the carbon/gypsum deposits before rinsing with steam.

A full digital scan record of the river gods and the sculpture to the southern pediment has also been carried out, to record their condition and monitor weathering. In the centre of the pediment, high above the Liffey entrance to the Custom House, the two female figures represent ‘the friendly union of Britannia and Hibernia’. Personified winds speed the passage of two ships

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Custom House, Dublin – Building Maintenance Services (BMS) External Works

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Customs House Facelift

The Customs House in Dublin has been given a ‘face lift’ in preparation for the centenary anniversary of the burning of the stunning neoclassical landmark.

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moving in opposite directions, vehicles of imports and exports. Symbols of Irelands beef trade and tanning trade are carved on the frieze below. Above the pediment are the Agostino Carlini carved statues of Neptune and Mercury and Edward Smyth carved statues of Industry and Plenty, and that of Commerce on top of the dome.

The works to the pediment have been recently featured in architectural historian Christine Casey’s CRAFTVALUE blog: craftvalue.org/ dublincustom-house-a-view-from-thepediment/

James Lynch from BMS restoring the sash windows using traditional techniques

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Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study David Healy, Policy Unit

Minister O’Donovan launched the Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study Post-Consultation Report on July 27th.

Key recommendations and next steps were set out in the report, including the following main outcomes:

The OPW received over 2,200 submissions to the non-statutory public consultation, which took place over six weeks between 29 January and 12 March 2021.

1. All gates will remain open and fully accessible as per normal operations with the exception of Cabra Gate, which, as part of the pilot bus service initiative, will be accessible by bus only during the pilot period.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister commented on the high level of engagement from stakeholders and the wider public during the consultation:

2. Walking and cycling improvement projects will be implemented as set out in the Study.

“I have listened to the feedback and I am determined to implement the revised recommendations in the Report which will help safeguard all users of the Park for generations to come.”

3. The proposal to make the North Road a cul-de-sac has been altered arising from feedback. The proposal is now to pilot a one-way route from Cabra Gate to Garda HQ on this road.

The Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study recognised the diverse and complex functions that the Park serves, including its historic landscape, biodiversity habitats, visitor attractions, recreational spaces along with its significant institutions and places of work.

4. The proposed cul-de-sac for the Upper Glen Road will proceed on a pilot basis.

The post-consultation analysis set out how the public consultation process was managed, how people interacted with the public consultation, and summarised the issues and concerns raised throughout the public consultation process.

Following detailed consideration of the public’s observations, in tandem with the objectives of the Transport and Mobility Options Study, the Steering Group recommended refined proposals to Minister O’Donovan for the benefit of all users, both local and national, while maintaining the integrity and unique setting of the Phoenix Park.

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Cyclists taking a break in Phoenix Park

5. A pilot bus service running from Heuston Station via Parkgate Street, Chesterfield Avenue, Cabra Gate to Broombridge Station, subject to funding.

6. The advancement of a Parking Strategy and review of the Bye Laws will commence immediately.

7. The conversion of Ashtown Gate to entry-only and the proposed cul de sac on Knockmaroon Road are postponed until the potential impacts on the surrounding areas are fully understood.

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Minister Patrick O’Donovan visited Sceilg Mhichíl in June to view progress on a number of current conservation and refurbishment projects undertaken by the OPW’s Conservation Services.

Making his way up the steep path that leads from the pier to the beehives of the monastic site, Minister O’Donovan stopped at the Upper Lighthouse, which the OPW intends to re-roof and refurbish to accommodate a visitor centre and OPW staff accommodation. Plans are also being prepared for the refurbishment of the Lower Lighthouse Keeper’s house to accommodate OPW staff and external consultants visiting the island.

Sceilg Mhichíl’sremote location in the Atlantic creates numerous issues as an operational visitor site not least its accessibility, which is weather-dependent and its ancient, uneven monastic steps that pose a very real challenge to staff and visitors. Each year, a six-week routine of maintenance works has to be carried out prior to reopening. This was completed in time for reopening to visitors on 1 July for the 2021 summer season. Until this year, there were no visitor toilets on the island. However, improving toilet and hygiene facilities on the island has become a critical issue following the Covid-19 pandemic and the OPW has therefore made the provision of new visitor toilets a priority.

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Other planned work includes repairs to the lighthouse road to enable access as well as repairing and refurbishing the fog station, constructed by the Commissioners of Irish Lights in June 1914, to create a viewing platform area for visitors.

Left to right: Pat Morris, Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD, Fergus McCormick and Bláthmhac Ó Muirí.

Monastery and Beehive Huts on UNESCO World Heritage Site Skellig Michael with Little Skellig in the background. © Failte Ireland

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Minister O’Donovan views progress on conservation and planned refurbishment projects on Sceilg Mhichíl

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Minister O’Donovan said: “I understand the massive importance of this rock to the south-west Kerry region and to the wider national tourism industry. With us being able to open it and bring people back here, I believe it can be used as a symbol of hope for us going forward, out of what has been a very difficult time. This is a magnificent place, hewn out of rock in the middle of the Atlantic. It is a jaw-dropping experience.

This place is really part of what we are and who we are. For the monks who came out here long ago it was about hope in terms of their faith and I think reopening this island is a beacon of hope for us today in our journey out of Covid.”

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All those who attended the launch - from left to right: David Storey, director of Services for Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel, Kevin Vallely, Fingal County Council Executive Engineer, Joanna Donnelly from Met Eireann, Deputy Mayor Cllr Daniel Whooley, Oliver Nicholson from the Office of Public Works and Deirdre Hurley, 3rd class teacher in Rush and Lusk Educate Together

The launch was attended by Oliver Nicholson from the Office of Public Works (OPW), as well as the director of Services for Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel, David Storey, Fingal County Council Executive Engineer, Kevin Vallely and Joanna Donnelly from Met Eireann.

OPW backs Weather Stations for Schools project

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is supporting a Weather Stations for Schools initiative which gives Primary Schools across Fingal, Co. Dublin, the opportunity to apply for an automatic weather station, producing real time information about rainfall, temperature, wind speed and wind direction.

The initiative has a dual purpose; it is aimed at helping children to enhance their knowledge regarding key challenges like Climate Change and flooding, while the data will benefit Met Éireann in monitoring rainfall.

Sixteen Primary Schools across Fingal County Council’s seven Local Electoral Areas will receive an automatic weather stations as part of The Weather Stations for Schools project, out of a total of 42 applicants.

The OPW is sponsoring weather stations for primary schools in Rush, Donabate and Portrane as part of the Outer Rogerstown Estuary Coastal Flooding scheme.

The overall initiative is being supported by the Chief Executive’s Innovation Fund, set up January 2021 by the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council Ann Marie Farrelly.

The Deputy Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Daniel Whooley, launched the second part of The Weather Stations for Schools project in September at the Rush and Lusk Educate Together National School, when he presented Third Class with the first of the automatic weather stations that are being rolled out to primary schools across Fingal.

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Oliver Nicholson, Head of the Hydrology Section at the OPW, said: “The provision of these rain gauges to 16 schools in the Fingal area will give students a greater appreciation of how weather variables are measured and made publicly available online. The weather stations provided by this initiative will be a useful educational tool that will broaden the student’s understanding of how rainfall measurements can be used for various purposes such as weather and flood forecasting, flood mapping, design of flood relief measures, hydrological modelling and drought monitoring. I am sure that the heavy concentration of these weather stations in the Fingal area will garner much attention from the research community for studies relating to the spatial variability of rainfall depths.

I believe that this has great educational potential for all schools across the state, and would strongly expect that this initiative will be replicated in other Local Authority areas in the near future.”

Sarah Gallagher, Head of Observations at Met Éireann, said: “Met Éireann are very supportive of the Weather Stations for Schools project. Schools can easily enter rainfall measurement and other weather information collected from their weather stations onto Met Éireann’s Weather Observations Website, WOW-IE. This is a global network of weather observations where the public can view and share their measurements. Not only are weather observations critical in helping meteorologists produce accurate weather forecasts, they provide an historic record of weather conditions that Met Éireann climate scientists use to monitor changes in the climate of Ireland.”

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‘Protect Our Past’ campaign helps safeguard the future of ancient monuments

Young Irish adults aged between eighteen and thirty were the target audience for a joint campaign between the Office of Public Works (OPW) and the National Monuments Service (in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) during summer 2021.

The successful campaign, entitled ‘Protect Our Past’, highlighted the need for visitors to Ireland’s heritage sites and monuments to be mindful of their actions while exploring Ireland during the summer season.

While launched in a conventional manner by Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, and Minister of State with responsibility for Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan, TD, traditional methods of marketing and communications were largely eschewed in favour of trends and platforms aimed at reaching a younger audience.

The campaign – developed by multi-disciplinary teams comprising archaeologists, architects and communications experts - harnessed the power of visual-based social media platforms to promote three animated videos created in the style of action-adventure video games.

Arresting animation and striking music were used to grab audience attention and remind younger generations - who are increasingly using the countryside as a recreational and entertainment space – of the need to be mindful of their behaviour at archaeological and architectural monuments. Influencer partnerships were also used to expand the campaign reach to a younger audience and underline the importance of protecting our country’s unique archaeological and architectural heritage sites, many of which are extremely vulnerable.

There are over 145,000 recorded archaeological monuments around the country in private and public ownership, with research suggesting evidence of human activity in Ireland well over 10,000 years ago. Examples of archaeological monument types in Ireland include megalithic tombs, stone circles, standing stones, rock art, ecclesiastical enclosures, churches, graveyards, ringforts, souterrains, crannógs and castles.

Some sites are suffering damage that threatens the preservation of archaeological remains. Small fires and ground disturbance, for example, which may be carried out with no ill intention, can destroy or seriously damage these monuments.

Recent evidence of graffiti and anti-social behaviour at several of Ireland’s most significant monuments - some of which are ancient burial sites - illustrated the need for more respectful behaviour.

Research into audience habits paid-off. A dual social media approach proved a highly effective promotional method for a holistic approach that balanced awareness with action.

Organic and paid social media content served as the foundation for the digital

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strategy to communicate and maintain a connection with the audience, while also factoring in the need for an advertising budget to specifically target the subset of younger people with whom we wished to engage. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were established from the offset to measure the success of the video content.

When distributed organically and with spend, the video content successfully told a high-value story to our younger target audience. As a result: • Over 2.7 million people had the opportunity to hear, read or watch content from the Protect Our Past campaign across social media.

• Precise and effective audience targeting of 18 to 35 year cohort was achived.

• 2.2 million + content views were secured overall, exceeding the campaign target by over 50%.

• A ‘reel’ across the OPW Instagram channel achieved 23,500 + views in under 12 hours • The majority of video views were secured across Instagram accounting for 1.3 million views across all three videos. (58% of all views) • Campaign video ads reached over 70% of the original target: 850,000

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For all the latest news and events from the OPW join us on social media where we regularly post a wide range of information that is of interest to people across the country.

We have seen a huge increase in our social media audience over the past twelve months as people have availed of content from our collections, received updates on the impact of Covid at various sites, viewed videos on everything from International Women’s Day to Brexit preparations and the welcome arrival of snowdrops - and generally kept in touch with us as we shared lockdown online. We very much look forward to continuing to add new, engaging content about the work that impacts on you and others across Ireland and welcome your contributions.

To view some of our recent videos visit our YouTube Channel For upcoming news, events, talks and content: Follow us on Twitter @opwireland Find us on Facebook @opwireland Find us on Instagram @opwireland Join us on Linkedin @opwireland www.gov.ie/opw