Could a ruin on Valentia Island in Kerry be the next place in Ireland to receive the coveted UNESCO World Heritage status?

Currently, there are two places in the Republic with the designation; Skellig Michael in County Kerry and Brú na Bóinne in County Meath. 

Locals on Valentia believe the historic ‘First Message Building’ could be in with a chance of becoming the third. 

It was there in 1858 that the first transatlantic message was sent between Europe and North America. 

The message between Queen Victoria and US President James Buchanan took 18 hours to send and read, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will to men."

 On Moncrieff, Valentia Island Development Company spokesperson Lucian Horvat said locals are proud of their role in this important moment in world history. 

“It was an exchange of messages, it was the first ever connection between the two continents,” he said. 

“So, the first ever connection happened at the first message building in Knightstown on Valencia Island.

“And it lasted a brief, only a few weeks due to technical issues and then they started to re-lay the cable on the bottom of the Atlantic again.

“It took another number of years until 1866 for a successful kind of connection that has lasted since.”

Laying the Atlantic Telegraph Cable. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Mr Horvat continued that the First Message Building is in overall “good condition” but that renovations are underway. 

“We made a lot of progress on assessing the ruin,” he said. 

“It's a ruin; it's just missing the roof, the walls are in good condition. 

“So, we've made a lot of progress; we accessed funds through the World Heritage Strategic Investment Fund.

“We work very closely with Kerry County Council, who are the lead on the project as well, on the UNESCO project. 

“And of course, with the National Monuments Service and with a lot of engineers, archaeologists and specialists because we want to do everything by the book.”

A couple sitting on garden chairs on Valentia Island. Picture by: Stephen Power / Alamy Stock Photo.

Once the building has been stabilised they will apply for the designation in conjunction with the Canadian village where the message was received. 

“We work closely with Canada, with Newfoundland and Labrador, because of the outstanding universal value of the transatlantic telegraph cable; [it] requires to have both sides… of the cable [apply],” Mr Horvat said.

“So, one is in Valencia Island  and the other one is in a town called Hearts Content in Newfoundland.” 

Mr Horvat said that the refurbishment will likely “take a while” but that the team is “making very good progress”. 

“There are plans to introduce it kind of into the whole tourism circuit,” he said. 

“We want to boost the local economy and use this asset on Valencia as one of the main visitor attractions.”