Council allocates €120,000 to Conservation projects

20 December 2005 


Council allocates €120,000 to Conservation projects

Cllr. Dessie Larkin Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council announced the allocation of €120,000 to 16 conservation projects throughout the county. The amount of grant aid to each applicant varied from €750 - €13,000 and all buildings/structures that received funding were included on the Record of Protected Structures (RPS).

The 2005 Conservation Scheme has been described by Mr. Francie Coyle, Director of Planning and Economic Development as the most successful scheme to date. He stated that “this scheme has been in place since 1999 and was for many years managed under the watchful eye of the late Gaye Moynihan. The quality of the type of projects funded have, in no doubt, been influenced by the values put forward by Gaye Moynihan in terms of conservation in County Donegal and this work has been built upon by Ms. Claire McCallan, the Donegal County Council Conservation Officer appointed in June 2004”.

Since her appointment Claire McCallan has initiated the setting up of the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) in Co. Donegal, following a period of intense consultation with both elected members and the general public.

Francie Coyle stated that “Claire is a qualified architect and has specialised in the area of conservation for a number of years. This experience was invaluable in setting up the Record of Protected Structures in Co. Donegal”.

He added that “the Councils conservation function is supported by planners, administration staff and Information Technology specialists in the Central Planning Unit of the Council and over the last 18 months this team has concentrated its effort on the review of the existing County Development Plan and the conservation of Donegals unique natural and built environment is a key element of this work”.

The Conservation Grant Scheme has proved to be an important mechanism to complement the Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Inclusion on the RPS provides protection to buildings/structures of architectural, artistic, historical, archaeological, cultural, scientific, social and /or technical merit. Through this scheme owners/occupiers of listed structures/buildings on the RPS can receive financial assistance in carrying out conservation work that would otherwise be very expensive.

The types of works funded range from securing the stability of a structure to making a structure weather proof or damp proof, to repairs on external or internal features to temporary repairs to protect a structure from immediate risk.

In 2003 35 applications for this scheme were received and 16 project were allocated funding as follows:

Applicant Grant € Conservation project
Sam Richmond,
Kill, Kilcar,
Donegal, Co. Donegal		 €10,702.00 Restoration of windows at St. Johns Church, Killybegs
Paul McLaughlin,
40, Groarty Road,
Derry BT48 OJX
€2,766.00 Refurbishment of wash house at 5, Coastguard Station, Moville
Gillian Graham,
Old Courthouse Visitors Centre, The Diamond,
Lifford, Co. Donegal. 		€4,000.00 Conservation Report for Old Courthouse Visitors Centre, Lifford
Fionan de Barra,
Project Manager,
An Oige,
61, Mountjoy Street,
Dublin 7.
€1,500.00 Restoration of windows, plastering and doors at Tra na Rossan Youth Hostel, Carrigart.
Josephine Murray,
“Cranmore”,
6, Somerton Park,
Belfast BT15 4DP
€5,391.50 Restoration of roof, rafters at 13 Coastguard Station, Moville
Malcolm Dawson,
72, Portadown Road,
Armagh, Co. Armagh
BT61 9HJ, N. Ireland.
€8,662.85 Restoration of roof, dry lining, windows and doors at house at Kill, Dunfanaghy
Noel Moore,
Cashel, Creeslough,
Letterkenny,
Co. Donegal.
€4,306.45 Re-slate roof of house at Cashel, Creeslough
Eoin McDonald,
Ballyloskey,
Carndonagh, Lifford,
Co. Donegal.
€13,945.00 Restoration of windows at John Colgan Memorial Hall, Carndonagh
Jonathan Lecky,
1, Meadowhill,
Kiltoy, Letterkenny,
Co. Donegal.
€750.00 Conservation Report regarding First Ray Presbyterian Church
Gail Campbell,
Alt Upper,
Castlefin, Lifford,
Co. Donegal.
€12,810.00 Re-slating and associated works at Presbyterian Church
Brendan Gallagher,
Architect,
Stiuideo, Loughnagin,
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal 		€19,426.65 Re-slating and associated works at Bank House, Pettigo
Brendan Gallagher,
Architect,
Stiuideo, Loughnagin,
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal 		€7,050.30 Reinforced bellcote, and restore windows at Murray Lodge, Killybegs
Aidan McGuinness and
Sharon McGuinness,
Inis Saimer House,
Portnason,
Carrickboy,
Ballyshannon, Donegal,
Co. Donegal.
€6,076.72 Re-slating and associated works at Inis Saimer House, Portnason, Ballyshannon
Caroline Dickson,
Caroline Dickson Architects,
Fahan,
Lifford, Co. Donegal.
€8,449.01 Repair to roof and gable at Dunmore House, Carrigans
Vera McFadden,
c/o Liam Costello,
Michael Galbraith Associates,
80, Lower Main Street,
Buncrana, Lifford,
Co. Donegal.
€6,000.00 Restoration of roof, windows, plaster at 11, Coastguard Station, Moville
Kenneth Rutherford,
Oaklands,
Raphoe,
Lifford, Co. Donegal.
€8,163.52 Restoration of stained glass windows at Raymoghy Church, Manorcunningham




For further information contact

Anne Marie Conlon
Communications Officer
Donegal County Council

Tel: 074 91 72574
Mob: 087 919 2275
Email: amconlon@donegalcoco.ie