Repair work starts on Mourne Wall

Repair work starts on Mourne Wall

21 February 2018

CONTRACTORS working on the Mourne Wall restoration project made the most of last Saturday’s  excellent weather to undertake helicopter lifts which were postponed from late last year.

Northern Ireland Water, which is carrying out the work, is using a helicopter to lift dry stone into the high Mournes as part of a scheme to refurbish a 2.5km section of the wall built in the early 20th century by the Belfast Water Commissioners.

The wall stretches across 15 peaks and took nearly two decades to construct.

Last Saturday, 40 bags of capping stones weighing just under a tonne each, were airlifted to Slieve Commedagh, Slieve Donard and Slieve Bearnagh. Last November, 44 bags were lifted onto Slieve Meelmore, Slieve Corragh and Slieve Commedagh.

The capping stones — around 450 in total which were all salvaged locally and weighing between 80 and 120kgs each  — will enable the contractor to complete and fully stabilise sections of the Mourne Wall that has already been repaired.

Highly experienced stonemasons are carrying out the work under NI Water supervision and to date, approximately nine kilometres of wall on over half of the 15 peaks has been restored using the indigenous stone lying locally to the wall.

This has included putting back into place more than 2,000 capping stones without mechanical intervention.

Restoration work has now moved to the lower sections of wall around Annalong Wood with NI Water anticipating these low altitude areas will be completed before the end of March.

Future helicopter lifts to assist with further capping stone work and erosion repair are scheduled for early summer.

The repair work is being carried out by main contractor GEDA Construction and sub-contractor Thomas Rooney & Sons, with NI Water also grateful to the Mourne Heritage Trust for its assistance with co-ordinating the latest helicopter lifts.

In addition, NI Water wishes to thank landowners and the public for their patience and co-operation while this important restoration work continues.

Anyone who requires more information as the project continues should contact Waterline on 03457 440088.