Historic building to be listed

AN historic building in Dingle, Co Kerry, which has been at the centre of protests about its conservation, is to put on a list of protected structures by Kerry County Council.

An Taisce and other organisations had strongly favoured the listing of Rice House, an 18th century wine merchant’s house to which Marie Antoinette was to have made a dramatic escape in 1792.

The building is owned by Údarás na Gaeltachta, which was granted planning permission in 2002 to make changes to the facade and to provide a craft shop and café inside the building. But following representations from various conservation groups, the Údarás board agreed to have the house included in Kerry’s protected list.