Funds are available for the conservation of County Donegal’s traditional farm buildings by The Heritage Council and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food under the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme. The funding will be made available countrywide this year for farmers under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme 4 (REPS 4). The closing date for receipt of applications to the grant scheme is Friday, April 3, 2009 and projects have to be completed by June 2010. The aim of the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme is to conserve traditional farm outbuildings which are in agricultural use. Farmhouses, residential or domestic buildings are not eligible for funding.
“Farmers have always played an important role as custodians of our rural landscape. With the changing nature of agriculture and development in the countryside, the role of farmers in conserving landscape character and quality is all the more important” said Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer. “The Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme aims to conserve the exterior appearance of farm outbuildings which can include roof, window and door repairs. Only essential repairs that conserve the character and weatherproofing of buildings will be considered. Conservation funds are also available for landscape features such as historic farmyard surfaces, walls, gate pillars, gates and mill races if they are part of an overall project to repair an outbuilding. Works to the interior of buildings are not eligible under the grant scheme.”
County Donegal’s farmsteads can include a variety of traditional farm buildings – most of which are eligible under the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme. On large farms in the east of the county, an array of farm buildings can be found arranged around a courtyard whereas on small farms in the west of the county, outbuildings may be added to the farmhouse along its long axis producing an extended farmstead or may be distributed in a scattered pattern around the farmhouse. As well as achieving the aims of REPS, the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme will allow traditional farm buildings to retain their relevance to agricultural activities, help to maintain aspects of our rural built heritage which are important to regional landscape character, and convey rural ways-of-life and local history to visitors and locals alike.
To be eligible for funding under the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme, (i) a farmer must have a REPS 4 contract with the Department of Agriculture, (ii) own or have the permission of the owner of the building to undertake the proposed work and (iii) the outbuilding must be in agricultural use. The grant will cover up to 75% of the cost of works and grants will be between €5,000 and €25,000. Applications for the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme must be made directly to The Heritage Council in Kilkenny by April 3, 2009. Further details and application forms are available from the County Donegal Heritage Office, Donegal County Council on (074) 912 1968 or by contacting The Heritage Council in Kilkenny. On-line application forms are available at www.heritagecouncil.ie/grants
For further information, please contact:
Joseph Gallagher
Heritage Officer,
County Donegal Heritage Office,
Donegal County Council,
Station Island,
Lifford,
County Donegal.
Telephone: (074) 917 2576
E-mail: heritage@donegalcoco.ie