The Mourne Homesteads Project is an innovative scheme established by Mourne Heritage Trust in Spring 2000 to seek ways of addressing the loss of traditional buildings in the countryside. It has 2 strands the renovation of 7 vacant traditional dwellings in the Mournes for full time use by local people and a parallel education and training programme.

Recognition
The Mourne Homesteads project is a unique scheme within Ireland and the UK.  It's innovative nature has been recognised in the receipt of a numerous awards and commendations. These include nominations as a UK finalist in the National Lottery Awards in 2005 followed the subsequent year by an RSPB 40th Anniversary Environmental Award in the Planning category. In 2007 the Trust received a ‘Mention’, given to projects of cultural, social or economic benefit to the community, in the prestigious Civic Trust awards and was a finalist in the Northern Ireland Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors awards. Finally in June 2007 the Trust attended a the Europa Nostra ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden to receive a commendation in the European Union’s awards for cultural heritage. Thanks are due to Alistair Coey Ltd who put a great deal of time and effort into entering the scheme for a number of these awards.

The Mourne Homesteads project is a unique scheme within Ireland and the UK and could not happen without the assistance of many funders and partners. These include the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Pilgrim Trust, homeowners, the Rural Development Council, Environment and Heritage Service, the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the Architectural Heritage Fund and Ulster Garden Villages who have supported the building project. The Education and Training programme is a cross border project supported by Co-Operation Ireland, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Duchas - the Heritage Service in the Irish Republic.

Mourne Homesteads Building Programme
Although not set up solely as a Building Preservation Trust, the aim of restoration of the Mourne area's unique built heritage has been a core aim from the outset. The Mourne Homesteads project is an extension of the stated aims of the Mourne Heritage Trust and was created by the Trust as a response to the growing awareness of the loss of traditional buildings so crucial to the character of the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), combined with a recognised need for affordable housing for local people.

The Properties
The traditional dwellings which form a very visual contribution to the typical character of the mountain landscapes of the AONB are vulnerable to pressures for increased housing in the area, yet most are unprotected in any way and many are being replaced with modern buildings many of which do not reflect the choice of site, materials or scale of the former dwellings. Though largely without services, many of these vacant dwellings are capable of being refurbished to high standards for modern living. All seven properties have been restored and transferred to their original owners.

                   Location, History & Current Ownership
Most of the dwellings in the scheme are present on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map, with some possibly dating to the late 18th century. The buildings are scattered throughout the three District Council Areas that fall within the Mourne AONB. The buildings are all privately owned, vacant and in varying states of disrepair with few having amenities or services. All the buildings exhibit traditional methods of construction and materials with a local distinction apparent due largely to the granite that is used throughout the area as the major building material.

Importance of the Buildings
The traditional dwellings and farmhouses within the Mourne AONB provide the targeted asset. There are no National Parks within Northern Ireland therefore we lack the statutory control over demolition, and/ or design of new dwellings in the countryside. Very few vernacular buildings are listed so the vast majority do not have any statutory protection. We believe that the designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty should encourage the reuse of these building’s as they are intrinsic to the ‘Natural Beauty’ of the area. A survey of 1989 logged over 1,700 vacant vernacular buildings within the Mourne AONB, a similar survey in 2002 found only 800 remaining in a relatively unaltered state. Therefore it is crucial that we try to restore and reuse what is left before a whole cultural layer of building history is lost.

Mourne Homesteads Education and Training Programme
Most buildings over 80 years old were constructed using methods and materials no longer familiar to the building trade, and modern materials can often be damaging to historic structures. It was recognised from the outset that there was little point in trying to restore traditional buildings without reintroducing the required skills base. Although there are a growing number of traditional skills centres in England, Scotland and Wales (The Weald & Downland Museum, the Scottish Lime Centre), Ireland does not have a centre dedicated to the provision of traditional building skills. 

The programme in traditional skills was developed in parallel with the Mourne Homesteads building project. To date 27 courses have been held in traditional building skills with over 270 people taking part including great participation from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive staff, homeowners, architects and those involved in the building trade. Training at all levels in the use of lime, traditional carpentry, thatching, stone masonry and other rural building skills was provided.

A travelling exhibition promoted the traditional skills programme and traditional buildings in general and was on display in 15 separate venues in Northern Ireland and the border counties in the Republic.  ‘Traditional Buildings in Ireland – A Home Owners Handbook’ written by Dick Oram and Dawson Stelfox was published by the Trust in 2005 and provides a practical guide and information source for those initiating projects to maintain, repair and restore their traditional buildings.

Summary
The Mourne Homesteads Project is a unique groundbreaking scheme established to address some of the causes of the loss of traditional housing types in Northern Ireland, while at the same time training a large range of people in traditional building skills that will increase job opportunities, and enhance conservation work throughout Ireland north and south. It is hoped that through media coverage, it will increase public awareness of the importance of traditional buildings and skills and that owners of traditional buildings will be encouraged and take example from the scheme.  Indeed to date the scheme has attracted significant television, radio and press coverage. A number of events have also taken place to showcase what has been achieved with the properties aimed particularly at trades people and traditional building owners.