Donegal projects to receive €145,876 from the Heritage Council
The Heritage Council is distributing more than €1.9 million through the scheme this year to support 132 heritage initiatives across Ireland
A total of nine Donegal projects have secured €145,876 in funding for heritage initiatives under the Heritage Council’s 2025 Community Heritage Grant Scheme.
The projects are: Clonleigh Parish Church – €25,000, St. Mary’s Parish Church, Ramelton – €18,960, Lands of Eogain – €18,650, Inishowen Rivers Trust – €5,938, Raphoe Badminton Club – €3,659, Cairde na hEaragaile CLG – €19,730, Kilbarron Castle & Church Conservation Group – €24,650, Coiste Forbartha Inis Bó Finne – €20,064, Parish of St Johnston – €9,225
The €24,650 in funding awarded to Kilbarron Castle & Church Conservation Group will support it in its work to conserve the curtain wall at Kilbarron Castle. Overlooking the coast near Ballyshannon, Kilbarron Castle is a medieval site of national significance — the birthplace of Mícheál Ó Cléirigh and once home to a renowned bardic school founded by the O’Clery family, court historians to the O’Donnells. The project aims to stabilise the remaining stonework and protect the ruins of this important cultural landmark, which has been in a fragile condition for many years.
The €5,938 in funding awarded to Inishowen Rivers Trust will support its Green Guardians – Biodiversity Training initiative. This community-led programme offers workshops, field trips, and hands-on training to equip volunteers as “River Guardians,” empowering them to monitor, protect, and restore local rivers and waterbodies while promoting wider awareness of biodiversity throughout the region.
Welcoming the announcement by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan, Donegal Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue said: “These grants will enable communities in Donegal to conserve and celebrate Ireland’s built, cultural, and natural heritage. The allocation follows a national call for applications in February, which attracted hundreds of proposals from heritage groups, volunteers, and community organisations across the country. A total of 132 projects will share an overall funding package of €1.9 million, with nine of those in Donegal.”
All funded projects can begin work immediately and are expected to be completed by the end of the year. Previous recipients have used this funding to restore architectural features, digitise local archives, and carry out conservation training — strengthening both the preservation of heritage and the local economy.
In 2024, the scheme supported several key heritage projects across Donegal. The Kilcar Heritage Committee undertook conservation works at St. Matthew’s Church, helping to preserve this important place of worship and local heritage. The Kilbarron Church Conservation Group continued vital restoration efforts at Kilbarron Church, ensuring the survival of one of the county’s oldest ecclesiastical sites. Meanwhile, The Follies Trust carried out conservation work on Reynolds’ Folly near Ballyshannon, protecting a distinctive piece of Donegal’s architectural heritage.