Contracts signed for Glenties Historic Towns Initiative

FOLLOWING the announcement earlier this year that the town of Glenties will benefit from €350,000 in funding under the Heritage Council’s Historic Towns Initiative, the signing of the contracts for conservation works to historic and cultural buildings in the town took place in The Highlands Hotel.

The funding award will be augmented with €150,000 in funding from Donegal County Council as well as in-kind contributions by property owners.

The Glenties Historic Towns partnership team include the Conservation Office and Heritage Office of Donegal County Council, the Brian Friel Trust, Dedalus Architecture and local property owners.

“The signing of the contracts is an important step in commissioning the proposed conservation works” explained Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer.

“The documentation sets out the scope of works to be undertaken.

“Structures that will benefit from conservation works under the scheme include The Laurels that is playwright Brian Friel’s mother’s home and the setting for his play ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’; the mid-nineteenth century Glenties Courthouse that has been leased to the Brian Friel

Trust in order to establish the Brian Friel Centre; the community-run St. Connell’s Museum and the steel-arched gateway that forms part of the curtilage of St. Connell’s Church.

“The project also involves the design of public realm along the Main Street in Glenties.

“The conservation works will employ best conservation practice and will demonstrate the cost-benefit of conserving our historic buildings and keeping them in use or bringing them back into use.

“The funding provided by The Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage will make a significant contribution to protecting, enhancing and promoting the built heritage of Glenties,” he concluded.

The Glenties Historic Towns Initiative is local authority and local community-led and has heritage considerations at its heart.

Works to the historic and cultural buildings will be starting this month and will be completed by the end of October.

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