€350,000 has been announced by the Heritage Council for two projects in Donegal.
A grant of €300,000 from the Heritage Towns Initiative will go towards further developing the potential of ‘The Laurels’, the Glenties home of writer Brian Friel’s mother.
The 2025 project involves Donegal County Council working with the Brian Friel Trust to bring the house back into use as a residence for a caretaker and / or artist, and as a visitor attraction to convey Brian Friel’s literary works and his family’s history.
The house, built around 1870, is the setting for the home of the Mundy sisters in Dancing at Lughnasa, one of Friel’s best known plays.
Meanwhile, €50,000 has been allocated to the council to help develop a heritage led development plan for Raphoe.
Welcoming both initiatives, Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher says the Glenties project will augment work being done to develop the Old Courthouse in the town as a visitors centre, with an emphasis on the life and work of Brian Friel……………………
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€2m in funding announced for 14historic towns under Historic Towns Initiative
The Heritage Council, along with Minister of StateChristopher O’Sullivan TD and Minister James Browne TD,today, Thursday 10 April, announced that 14 historic towns will share €2m in funding under the 2025 Historic Towns Initiative (HTI). The HTI is a joint initiative between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Heritage Council. The €2m funding will promote heritage-led regeneration and support traditional building skills.
This year’s scheme follows on from highly successful programmes from 2018 to 2024. The HTI welcomesproposals to conserve and re-use historic buildings, and this year’s awards will support residential, business, and community uses in towns across Ireland.
Funding will be awarded to the relevant local authorities for ten conservation projects in:
As well as four plans to aid heritage-led regeneration in
Commenting, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD said:
“Investing in our historic towns is about more than just preserving buildings—it’s about breathing new life into communities, supporting local economies, and ensuring our heritage continues to enrich future generations. This funding will help towns across Ireland to unlock their potential through streetscape enhancement, creation of visitor attractions, community spaces and accommodation whilst protecting their unique historic heritage.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, added:
“The Historic Towns Initiative is making a real difference by tackling vacancy and dereliction while respecting the character of our built heritage. By supporting the reuse of historic properties, we are helping to create vibrant town centres that are great places to live, work, and visit.”
Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan commented:
“Heritage-led regeneration strengthens communities by fostering pride of place and sustaining traditional skills. Through the Historic Towns Initiative, we are working closely with local authorities and communities to ensure our historic towns remain at the heart of Ireland’s cultural and economic life.”
Glenties, Co Donegal: This award will build upon progress in 2024 at the Laurels house which is associated with the writer Brian Friel. The 2025 project involves working with the Brian Friel Trust to bring The Laurels (Brian Friel’s mother’s home in Glenties) back into use as a residence for a caretaker and/or artist, and as a visitor attraction to convey Brian Friel’s literary works and his family’s history and connection with this Protected Structure. €300,000
