University of Limerick receives €10,000 grant for remedial works at landmark building

THE University of Limerick (UL) has received €10,000 in funding from Government for interior works on the landmark offices of its president, Plassey House.

It comes in spite of the college having no permanent president after the last holder of the role, Professor Kerstin Mey resigned last year.

This came after college bosses were embroiled in controversy for months over the purchase of 20 houses close to its campus at a price deemed to have been inflated.

Plassey House was named in a list as part of an announcement of projects identified for tranches of the new administration’s Built Heritage Investment Scheme.

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This exists to support property owners to conserve and enhance historic buildings and streetscapes, preserve and develop building skills.

This year’s grants will be used to repair, restore, and protect historic structures from modest traditional homes to landmark public buildings.

Known by many at UL colloquially as The White House, Plassey House is the administrative centre of the college, based in Castletroy.

A spokesperson for UL said the money will be used to repair damaged timbers in the roof, replace access walkways in the ceiling space and carry out remedial works on cracked ceilings.

The Government has said that, in addition to the funding provided under this scheme, owners and custodians of properties will themselves commit a sum in some cases.

The UL spokesperson said the work will cost €30,000 in all, with the college funding €20,000 of it.

Built around 1770, Plassey House was rebuilt a century later.

A multiple-bay two-storey country house, Plassey House is a notable example of a Georgian villa country house.

The estate was first owned by Emporer of Bengal Robert Clive, who named it Plassey after his victory at the battle of the same name.

Extended in the 1860s, the work was carried out by the architect William Fogarty.

Prominently sited close to the River Shannon and within the campus of the University of Limerick, the house forms a pleasing focal point for the surrounding area.

Plassey House has long served as the office of the college’s president.

It was the first building to house teaching at UL when it was founded in 1972 as National Institute of Higher Education.