03/02/20 Grants for farmers to conserve traditional farm buildings

Farm buildings near St. Johnston that benefitted under the Heritage Council’s Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme.

Funds are available for the conservation of County Donegal’s traditional farm buildings and other related structures from The Heritage Council in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme.  The funding is available countrywide for farmers under the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) to help ensure that traditional farm buildings and other structures, that contribute to the character of the landscape and which are of significant heritage value, are conserved for agricultural use.  The closing date for receipt of applications to the grant scheme is Tuesday, February 18, 2020. 

“The Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme has supported farmers to conserve agricultural buildings in the rural landscape,” explained Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer.  “Although the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme is highly competitive, several farm buildings in County Donegal have benefitted under the scheme in recent years.  The scheme reinforces the role that farmers play as custodians of the rural landscape.  As well as achieving the aims of GLAS, the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme allows traditional farm buildings to retain their relevance to agricultural activities, helps to maintain aspects of our rural built heritage which are important to regional landscape character, and conveys rural ways-of-life and local history to visitors and locals alike.  The scheme strongly encourages and supports farmers to carry out at least some of the repairs themselves.  It also provides a means of employment in rural areas for local contractors and encourages local craftsmen to learn and apply best conservation practice.”

The aim of the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme is to ensure that traditional farm buildings that contribute to landscape character and are of heritage value are conserved for agricultural use.  The grant is available for the conservation of traditional farm buildings including roofs, walls, structural repairs, windows and doors.  Grants will also be available for other related structures such as historic yard surfaces and landscape features around the farmyard such as walls, gate pillars and gates.  To be eligible for the scheme, buildings and other related structures must have architectural or vernacular heritage character and make a contribution to their setting. 

A variety of farm buildings can be found on County Donegal’s farmsteads and most of them are eligible under the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme.  On small farms in the west of the county, outbuildings may be added to the farmhouse producing an extended farmstead or may be distributed in a scattered pattern around the farmhouse whereas on large farms in the east of the county, an array of farm buildings can be found arranged around a courtyard.

The Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme is open to farmers who (i) have a GLAS contract with the Department of Agriculture and who are approved for participation in the GLAS scheme and (ii) are the owner of the building/other related structure for which funding is being sought or are acting with the permission of the owner.  The grant will cover up to 75% of the cost of the works.  The minimum grant offered will be €4,000 and the maximum amount will be €25,000. The Heritage Council estimates that 50-70 projects will be supported countrywide in 2020. 

Completed applications to the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme must be made directly by post to The Heritage Council in Kilkenny to arrive by Tuesday, February 18, 2020. 

Further details and application forms are available from The Heritage Council in Kilkenny on (056) 777 0777. 

Application forms can also be downloaded from The Heritage Council website at:  www.heritagecouncil.ie 

Advice to applicants is also available from the County Donegal Heritage Office, Donegal County Council on (074) 917 2576.