Scaffolding firm unearths unexpected link in Rathmullan

A storyline that could be straight out of ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ has been unearthed during latest efforts to save Rathmullan Abbey.

Phase two of plans to resurrect the 16th century abbey as a tourist attraction began in August and are now nearing completion. The second phase centred on the building’s chimney which was nearing collapse. Following intervention from Donegal County Council, the chimney has now been saved from further decay.

Carrying out the painstaking scaffolding work has been Kilmacrennan firm, Sweeney Scaffolding, owned by Alan Sweeney.

It was recently pointed out to Mr Sweeney that Sweeney was also the surname of the local chieftains who built the original abbey 502 years ago. And according to local historians, it is highly likely that his predecessors were also involved in whatever type of scaffolding was used all that time ago.

The unexpected twist mirrors storylines that regularly emerge during the popular television programme ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ which helps celebrities trace their family tree.

Speaking as his team prepared to remove the vast amount of scaffolding erected around Rathmullan Abbey, Alan Sweeney told the Donegal News he had no idea about the historic link until it was brought to his attention.

“I wouldn’t have known about it only Fergal Doherty at Donegal County Council told me about it,” Mr Sweeney said.

“It’s interesting and it’s nice to think that my ancestors might have worked on this building 500 years ago just the way we are working on it now.

“It is something I will look into once we get this job finished,” the businessman added.

The scaffolding up around Rathmullan Abbey. The second phase of the bid to save the building from collapse has just been completed and it is hoped phase three will begin in 2019.

Donegal County Council regularly calls upon Sweeney Scaffolding to carry out work on old structures. Among the other projects they have been involved are the restoration of Newtown Chapel in Newtowncunningham and an old circular fort at Maccamish Point, Rathmullan.

Rathmullan Abbey threw up a new challenge however.

“There was so much ivy on the outside of the building that had to be removed and from our point of view, we had no idea what was behind it. For all we knew the walls could have come down altogether,” Alan Sweeney revealed.

Work to remove the scaffolding will begin today (Friday) and a funding application to move to stage three will be lodged early in 2019.

Leading the efforts to save Rathmullan Abbey is Donegal County Council engineer Fergal Doherty.

“We have managed to save the chimney which was close to falling down,” Mr Doherty said.

“The scaffolding is about to be taken down and after that we will be applying for funding for phase three to conserve the abbey’s main tower.

There will then be a final phase to make safe the back part of the building after which it will be opened to the public.”

Mr Doherty said he would be looking at a number of funding streams, including cross-border money and peace funding from Europe.

“More funding would allow me to complete the next two phases in a single year and I will be trying to secure that. But at this stage it is about waiting and seeing what happens,” he added.

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