Former Mayor of Drogheda Frank Godfrey has welcomed the repair work that is being carried out at the Tholsel over the past number of weeks. He says that seagulls are partly to blame for the damage to the roof.
“It is good to see ongoing maintenance works at the Tholsel” he told Drogheda Life, adding that they are “long overdue”. “The people of the town have been waiting for decades to have this work done, because of the serious structural damage” he said.
“I have been calling for years to have this work done as a former Mayor of Drogheda. Some of the damage to the roof has been caused by slippage of the lead flashing which securing the slates to the roof valleys.
“This slippage has allowed water ingress into the fabric of the building over the years, endangering our Drogheda heritage.
“The water damage has been visible on the walls, but is most probably extant on the upper floors. This is heavily contributing to dampness.”
Mr Godfrey also laid some of the blame for the damage to the Tholsel roof to “large seagulls” which he said can “wreak havoc” with their webbed feet when they land on the stone roof.
“This can slide the lead flashings and loosen the slates” he said, adding that “this can create issues with safety which is of highest importance.
“Now is the right time to remove vegetation growing out of chimneys on business premises in the vicinity of the Tholsel.
“Finally, it would be good to know the timescale and the projected cost of the works. This is one of Drogheda’s finest historical buildings, which should be protected at all costs.”
Frank said that he is asking for a “proper inspection” from the local authority or the Office of Public Works.
“The Tholsel is an iconic building and also a protected structure. We need to keep a watchful eye on our town. We have already lost too many of our heritage buildings including parts of the town walls.”
