An in-depth look at the new Donegal Town Diamond- a space for all seasons

New seating, a canopy-covered area for shelter, shade and entertainment, a sensory area for people with autism and a water refill station are among the features of the newly designed Diamond in Donegal Town. 

The area has all been brought to the same level so there are no more steps, making the Diamond fully accessible to everyone.

And it has been deemed a pedestrian zone with motorised vehicles excluded from the Diamond in the interests of safety and the enjoyment of the space by people of all ages. 

Joy Browne from Donegal County Council is one of the people who worked closely on the project from the outset, and as a native of Donegal Town, it is very close to her heart.

Watching so many people out and about on the newly opened Diamond on Friday Morning, Joy told Donegal Live: “It is brilliant to be at this point, to have this accessible pedestrian space that is  welcoming for all.”

One of the major new features of the Diamond is the canopy, which serves as a shelter from the rain, shade from the sun and as an entertainment zone or gathering place.

“It is a great year-round space for the community, increasing the number of events and gatherings, a community space for sports, businesses, clubs, anyone who wants to use it,” said Joy. 

If people want to book the canopy they go through Donegal Community Chamber by emailing  development@donegaltown.ie

Joy explains: “They will then be invited to fill out a form outlining what they plan to do. A key will be given for access to the electric boxes.”

The canopy area can be easily sectioned off in situations where it is being used for festivals, homecomings, etc. 

Joy also welcomed the fact that there is no longer a step up to that section of the Diamond. 

And she is pleased with how the new trees have blended in. 

“They have a good root ball system so they will grow and flourish there in the next few years,” she said.  

“Some of the old trees were dying. We lost a lot of them over the years.”

Another feature which is already proving very popular is the water refill station close to the taxi rank.

The decision to not allow motorised vehicles from the Diamond has resulted in a degree of controversy, with some bikers already choosing to ignore the ban. 

Director of Services with Donegal County Council, Garry Martin explained that this decision was taken with families in mind. 

“We are delighted with how it turned out and we really want this to be a place for families to enjoy and to feel safe,” he said. 

“That is why we are making it a motorised vehicle free zone. We have written to the bikers group explaining this and we will have signage up shortly. 

“Having the Diamond as a fully pedestrian area makes it an enjoyable and accessible space for everyone.”

Adding to the ethos of a pleasant space for everyone is a section of the Diamond which architect Paul Doherty is particularly proud to highlight. 

He told Donegal Live: “During the consultation and design process we worked with a parents group to ensure that there was a sensory space for people with autism.

“They told us that their children liked to play in that area, and would touch the planting that was there before. But unfortunately, those planted areas were used by revellers late at night to urinate. 

“We were delighted to work with the parents group to create this space from a sensory point of view.”This area nearest the Central Hotel has planting with a lot of movement, colour and pleasant scent, and has some seating adjacent to the plants. 

There are a further three benches in a radius from the central tree, giving each one the feel of being in their own space while still enjoying the pleasant aspects of the area. Each of these benches has a textured endstone with a smooth carving, adding to the sensory element. Among the carvings is the Donegal Town 550 commemoration, which is visible from much of the Diamond. 

Mayor of Donegal Town Pauric Kennedy welcomed the work on the Diamond, but would like to see one change which he has previously highlighted. 

“It is good to see it looking well,” he said. “But I am disappointed that the big ESB boxes are there. I am still hopeful that it can be changed.” 

He praised everyone involved, including Paul Doherty Architects, Axis Construction and Donegal County Council.

Councillors from the Municipal District(MD) of Donegal paid a visit to the Diamond on Friday morning, along with staff from Donegal County Council. They expressed their appreciation of the work, and of the space that had been developed and enhanced for the community and for visitors to the town. 

At the MD AGM earlier on Friday, Garry Martin had a special word of acknowledgement for retired Cllr Tom Conaghan who was a big supporter of the project during his time in the council. 

A small section of the Diamond remains closed. It is expected that it will be completed during July.