1. Context

Tipperary County Council recognises that public commemoration plaques, memorials and monuments offer opportunities to honour, celebrate, or remember a person, group of persons or events of significance. This policy sets out the process by which Tipperary County Council will consider the commemoration of events or individuals who have shaped the County, either by the naming of infrastructure or by the installation of monuments, memorials and plaques in the public domain.

It is important for Tipperary County Council to establish a policy on this matter due to;

• The need to have clarity regarding the policy and procedures for the consideration of proposals from individuals and interest groups,
• The increased level of demand for the naming of infrastructure and the erection of plaques, memorials and monuments.
• The emotive nature of requests where people are deceased.
• The need to ensure that a proliferation of memorials and plaques do not detract from the wider amenity and enjoyment of public spaces.

2. Civic Memorials - Guiding Principles

Civic memorials represent a significant civic acknowledgement of a subject. It is, therefore, necessary that clear criteria are used to evaluate any proposal. A monument is a lasting tribute to a person, group or event. Therefore Tipperary County Council needs to be confident that the subject of such a memorial is of sufficient importance that the decision to approve a monument will stand the test of time.

3. Civic Memorial Policy

It is proposed that applications to erect civic memorials will be made on an official form and will be initially assessed by the Council's Cultural Team (comprising the Director of Cultural Services, County Librarian, Heritage Officer, Arts Officer and Museum Curator).

Plaques: The Cultural Team will consider the applications and will make a recommendation to the relevant Municipal District Council who will consider the applications and the report from the Cultural Team and then decide on the matter.

Memorials/Statues etc. The Cultural Team will consider the applications and will then make recommendations to the Council's Corporate Policy Group (CPG) for consideration. The CPG will consider the applications and the report from the Cultural Team, and will then make its recommendations to the Council. The final decision on this will rest with the Council.

4. Civic Memorial Criteria

The following are criteria for all proposals on the naming of Tipperary County Council infrastructure or the erection of a monument or plaque in honour of a person, group or event:

• The proposal should ensure the memorial is of a county, national, or international significance.
• The person/s to be commemorated must have been born or lived in Tipperary or have had strong and/or enduring connections with the County.
• The person/s must have made a unique and outstanding contribution to the life or history of Tipperary through outstanding achievement, distinctive service or significant community contribution and evidence of this contribution must be provided.
• The proposal should establish that County Tipperary is the appropriate geographic location for the memorial, monument or plaque (i.e. there is a strong association with the county by virtue of birth, death, contribution to the county, etc.) and/or that there is a strong association between the site and the event or person being commemorated).
• The proposal must demonstrate high design quality, with appropriate aesthetic and artistic merit and due consideration for health and safety.
• The memorial must be in keeping with the proposed location (i.e. in terms of design and materials).
• The proposal will provide the following technical information: site location map, text on memorial, drawings and/or photographs, details of design and details of fixing.
• The proposal must provide details of how the memorial will be maintained and cared for in perpetuity. Tipperary County Council will not be responsible for future maintenance and upkeep of memorials approved under this policy, other than memorials on council-owned buildings.
• Tipperary County Council retains the option to remove the memorial at a future date if deemed necessary, due to planning or health and safety considerations. Circumstances such as the sale or demolition of a building on which the memorial is sited, vandalism, etc., may result in Tipperary County Council not being able to guarantee the retention of a civic memorial.
• To assist in evaluating any proposal, Tipperary County Council may, at its discretion, require a public consultation to be carried out.
• To assist in evaluating any proposal, Tipperary County Council may, at its discretion, seek expert advice.
• An event to be commemorated will have occurred at least 10 years previously unless it is of extraordinary and long-lasting consequence to the County.
• Proposals will only be considered in relation to persons who are deceased.
• In considering proposals for naming of infrastructure, or erection of civic monuments or plaques, consideration will be given to other infrastructure, monuments or plaques already existing in honour of the person/s or event.
• All proposals to erect monuments, memorials or plaques will have to comply with the County Development Plan, the relevant Local Area Plan and Planning and Development Acts and Regulations, Bye Laws and other relevant legislation, as appropriate.
• The erection of a plaque on a protected structure requires planning permission. Any proposal to erect a plaque on a building that is not protected but that is located within an Architectural Conservation Area will be referred to the Planning Section for report and advice.
• The erection of a memorial on a Recorded Monument or National Monument may require permission from the National Monuments Section of the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht and will be referred to them as appropriate.
• Permission of the owners (and where relevant leaseholders/building managers), of private property or buildings, will have been sought and demonstrated to have been granted in writing at the time of application.
• Where possible, evidence of consent will be supplied from members of family, estate or group connected with the individual or event to be commemorated.
• Following the consideration of applications, all decisions by the Council, and the reason(s) for those decisions, will be communicated to the applicant in writing.

5. Plaques

A plaque is an inscribed tablet fixed to a wall or other surface. Plaques are typically installed to commemorate the place of residence or work of a notable individual or the occurrence of a significant event. The Department of the Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s, Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines recognise the value which a plaque can have in marking the historical context of a building including existing fixtures and features.

• Design template and wording must be approved by Tipperary County Council.
• Plaques can only be affixed to the original building or to where the frontage consists of a facsimile frontage on the original site.
• Generally, an individual can only be commemorated with one plaque or memorial.
• The erection or replacement of business plaques or nameplates is not covered under this policy.

6. Monuments

A monument is deemed to be a three-dimensional structure of either high or low relief, of architectural or sculptural design, erected to commemorate a person or event.

• Proposals may be subject to planning legislation depending on their nature and design.
• Generally, an individual can only be commemorated with one monument.

7. Infrastructure

Infrastructure includes buildings, bridges, roundabouts and other structures.

• Consideration will only be given to the naming of major infrastructures such as roundabouts, buildings (non-residential), facilities and bridges. Minor infrastructure will not be considered for naming.
• Parks, fire stations, libraries and utility facilities will not be named after individuals or events. The names will reflect the locality or townland.
• Generally, an individual can only be commemorated with one piece of infrastructure.

8. General Procedures

• Only complete and valid proposals will be considered by the Council.
• Proposals must be made in writing on an official application form
• A marked map and photographs of the proposed location must be submitted with the completed application form.
• The costs involved in naming infrastructure or the erection of a monument or plaque, including installation will be borne by the proposers. Proposers will have to demonstrate that the required funding is available for the proposal.
• Financial support for memorials will not normally be made available by Tipperary County Council, except through existing appropriate council grant schemes.
• Support material such as publications, texts, photographs, videos, etc. will be accepted.
• The text of the proposed wording for a monument or plaque must be provided along with visualisations (design, drawings) of the proposal.
• The design and text of any wording associated with the naming of infrastructure or the erection of a monument must be agreed and approved by Tipperary County Council.
• The proposal should provide evidence that the text for the memorial is factually correct (supporting material such as publications, texts and photographs).

9. Submission of proposals for memorials

Proposals for memorials should be submitted in writing, on an official application form to Tipperary County Council and demonstrate compliance with regard to this policy.

What is Eligible: 

Please see guidelines.

Frequency: 

Ongoing