THE CO Meath town which gave its name to one of the world’s most famous manuscripts, the Book of Kells, has become a heritage town without a heritage centre.
The doors of Kells heritage centres were closed to visitors yesterday, possibly for the last time, because of huge debts and insufficient revenue.
“It’s like pulling the heart out of a town,” one local historian said yesterday, while Fáilte Ireland confirmed Kells was being heavily promoted as part of a new initiative promoting the depth of heritage in the Boyne Valley.
The centre, which was used as a courthouse until 10 years ago, was designed by Irish architect Francis Johnson and built in 1801. It is now damp and needs a new roof, according to the chairman of Kells Town Council.
The historic 9th-century High Cross, which used to be in the middle of the town’s main crossroads, was relocated to just outside the centre after it opened and was a key visitor attraction.
It was unsuccessful in getting the original Book of Kells for exhibition, but has got one of the finest facsimiles of it.
While efforts are under way to resolve the situation, including looking at alternative premises for the centre, the chairman of the local town council Brian Curran said the figures for the current centre “just don’t add up”.
He said €500,000 was outstanding on capital costs, and the centre had been running at a loss of €88,000 per year.
“The roof now needs replacing at a minimum cost of €147,000, and the building needs to be relined because of damp. It is an old building and we tried to make it into a new building.
“It is a lovely building, but we have not got the return. We have asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley, to meet us and intervene.”
Local historian William Carr, a member of Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, said: “The closure is a great loss to the town and to visitors. It has been a focal point for visitors . . . It is a meeting point and where you hear what is happening locally. It is like pulling the heart out of the town.”
A spokeswoman for Fáilte Ireland, which has provided €800,000 to the centre, said it believed there were “difficulties at the moment” and was staying in contact with the Kells town clerk.
“The centre is integral for tourism in the area. We recently developed an initiative promoting the depth of heritage in the Boyne Valley and Kells is heavily promoted in the Meath area.”