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Thatch Repair Grant Scheme in
Donegal
27.03.20
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APPLICATIONS have
opened again for Donegal County Council’s Thatch
Repair Grant Scheme that assists the owners and
occupiers of thatched dwellings with their
maintenance and repair. The grant scheme provides
advice to owners on the conservation of thatched
roofs, allocates funding for small-scale thatch
repairs and helps homeowners carry out necessary
repairs under conservation supervision. The scheme
is open for applications until 12 noon on Wednesday,
April 22. |
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Rope-thatched cottage in Ballykeeny
along the Wild Atlantic Way in Inishowen was one of
the properties that benefited under the Thatch
Repair Grant Scheme in 2019. The scheme allows for
small-scale thatch repairs. |
“This is only the
second year of the Thatch Repair Grant Scheme and
there was a wonderful response to the introduction
of the scheme last year” said Joseph Gallagher,
County Donegal Heritage Officer.
“We were able to support twelve thatch repair
projects across the county in 2019. While the
funding provided homeowners with support to
undertake their thatch projects, we learned a lot
from the scheme too. We got to know some of the
owners and custodians of our vernacular buildings
who really are unheralded champions of our built
heritage. We heard about the lack of availability of
home-grown thatching materials but were also
encouraged by the number of people who grew
materials to thatch their own buildings. We’re very
fortunate to have a small number of highly skilled
thatchers in the county and some people who practice
their thatching skills on a part-time basis.”
“We also heard from homeowners about the lack of
appropriate and affordable insurance for thatch
structures. County Donegal is home to one of the
largest surviving concentrations of thatch
structures in Ireland but if the insurance issue is
not addressed, then the decline in the number of
thatched structures seen in recent years will
continue. Donegal County Council recognises the
contribution that thatched dwellings and
outbuildings make to our cultural landscape,
employment, economy and tourism.” |
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Rope-thatched cottage near Clonmany
that received support under the Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme in 2019. Note the bed outshot (or cailleach)
which is a small-projection to the rear of the
building that provides a little more space to
accommodate a bed near the hearth. |
“Donegal County Council
considers that the conservation of our traditional
buildings constitutes appropriate, sustainable and
responsible development,” said Collette Beattie,
Conservation Officer, Donegal County Council. “Types
of small-scale thatch repairs that might be eligible
to Donegal County Council’s Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme include repairs to the eaves, the ridge,
flashings around the chimney, holes, furrows,
fixings, ropes, wire netting, the gable and the roof
timbers or carpentry.”
Thirty-five applications were received in 2019 under
the Thatch Repair Grant Scheme and the scheme
supported twelve thatch repair projects including
works to residential properties, rented dwellings,
outbuildings and a business. The thatch projects
supported under the scheme were in Glencolmcille,
Carrick, Killybegs, Altnagapple, Ardara, Maghery,
Ballyharry, Ballykeeny, Clonmany, Drumkeen and
Convoy.
While Donegal County Council’s Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme focuses on small-scale repairs, there are
other grant schemes that allow for the thatching and
re-thatching of roofs. Advice on all of these grant
schemes is available from the County Donegal
Heritage Office and the Conservation Office of
Donegal County Council and on-line at
www.Donegalcoco.ie/heritage .
Applications forms for the Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme are available on-line from the
Donegal County
Council website or by contacting Joseph Gallagher,
Heritage Officer or Collette Beattie, Conservation
Officer at 074 915 3900 or by e-mail at
thatch@donegalcoco.ie . The scheme is open for
applications until 12 noon on Wednesday, April 22. |
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