The completion of this conservation plan for the Church of St Carthage and its well preserved early monastic setting fulfils one of the aims of the Offaly Heritage Plan 2007 2011 It was commissioned by Offaly County Council and carried out by Howley Hayes Architects in association with Caimin O Brien archaeologist with the Archaeological Survey of Ireland which is a section of the National Monuments Service The objective of the Heritage Plan is to assess the cultural significance of the place to identify threats to this significance and to formulate policies to address these threats to ensure the successful preservation and long term management of this important cultural landscape