Bawn Wall Conservation Project at Howth Castle
Since the summer of 2024 a project of conservation of the castle's 15th century bawn walls has been taking place. The bawn walls were erected as fortifications in the medieval period to act as a line of defence against attackers by enclosing the castle within a walled area. On each corner, round turrets were erected from which guards could defend against invaders. Time and nature have not been kind to these walls and turrets making it essential for vegetation clearance and stabilisation to be carried out over the last year to the north-west and south-west sides at the rear of the castle.
Stage 1 of this project is now nearing completion, and the next phase will involve permanent structural supports to ensure the survival of these historic structures long into the future. When it comes to the team behind the works 'It takes a village' springs to mind. The project team included Howth Castle's restoration project consisted of the following:
- Maol Íosa Molloy, RIAI-accredited Grade 1 Conservation Architect and founder of Molloy & Associates, brings deeply respected expertise in architectural conservation across Ireland. Her practice is known for advising on sensitive heritage projects—including notable works such as the careful redevelopment of Howth Castle in collaboration with Darmody Architecture molloyassociates.iemolloyassociates.ie.
- Altimar Architectural & Heritage Consultants specialise in the planning and advisory aspects of heritage and conservation—They are recognised for expertise in architectural heritage planning and sensitive conservation within the built environment.
The project team also included:
- Helena Bergin, Fingal County Council’s Senior Executive Architectural Conservation Officer and Heritage Officer, Christine Baker.
- Lisa Edden – Associate Director, CORA Consulting Engineers
Lisa Edden brings over 30 years of post‑graduate experience in conservation engineering, specialising in the storage and restoration of historic masonry and timber structures. Lisa is highly regarded for her expertise in stabilisation methods and material use—ranging from historic mortars to vernacular systems. She is passionate about mentoring graduate engineers and has applied her international experience from the UK and Mali to sensitive projects here in Ireland
- IAC Archeaeology
Paul Duffy from IAC Archaeology Ltd. Paul is an Associate Director / Senior Project Manager there, specialising in urban archaeological projects across Dublin and beyond
- Smart Build
David Grant and P.J. O’Shea are the co-founders behind Smartbuild Ltd, established in 2005. With over three decades of experience, they’ve built Smartbuild into one of Ireland’s leading construction and building conservation specialists, delivering excellence across educational, commercial, industrial, residential, and heritage restoration projects.
Posted on 5 Aug 2025.
