Moville and Newtown funding boost

Two projects in Inishowen are set to benefit from significant funding allocated under the Town and Villages Renewal Scheme.

Moville and Newtowncunningham will receive €100,000 each, while the village of Churchill, outside Letterkenny, will also receive €100,000 and a Donegal-wide relocation marketing campaign will receive €90,000.

Speaking to Inish Live, Moville Labour councillor Martin Farren welcomed the total of €180,000 in funding for refurbishment projects in Moville Green.

Cllr Farren said: “The Town and Villages Renewal Scheme funding is one of a series of national and local support measures designed to rejuvenate small rural towns and villages throughout Ireland.

“The programme places particular emphasis on projects supporting remote working and enhancing town centre living.

The programme will support these objectives and will encourage more people to return confidently to town and village centres to work, shop and socialise.

“The Moville project proposal provides for the enhancement and improvement of visual and recreational amenities in the Bath Green to support the economic and social recovery of the community.

“The area for refurbishment is around what we used to call the old putting green and tennis courts, in the middle of the Green,” said Cllr Farren.

The second grant (€81,000) would be for the refurbishment of the existing children’s play area, he said.

“It will include new play equipment, which will include special equipment suitable for disabled children.

“This funding comes from the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme, 2021, to provide increased health and well-being services in 19 community areas across Ireland.

“The Donegal Gaeltacht and Inishowen were the two areas chosen for Donegal and Moville made the cut for Inishowen.

“I would like to thank the County Council’s Development Officer for Inishowen, Fiona Doherty, and the team in Carn, for all the work they have done to secure these projects for Moville.

“I have been working with Fiona and the Moville Tidy Towns Committee for some time to attract funding for the enhancement of Moville Green as a healthy, all-weather, outdoor resource for the local community and to add to Moville’s attractions as a tourist centre,” said Cllr Farren.

According to Martin Farren, the refurbishment works and the existing Sli na Slainte shore walk should work well together as an area for outdoor recreation, in keeping with the Slaintecare Healthy Community programme.

He said: “I am meeting this week, again with the Council officials and engineers who are progressing the play park project, along with members of the Tidy Town committee to firm up on the plans for this development”.

“All these works should help restore the Green to its old glory, when it was an attraction for locals and tourists alike.

“It won’t bring back the glory days of convoys of Lough Swilly buses coming straight from the Scotch Boat in Derry, or the Green black with people on Regatta Day, but it should attract day-trippers from all over.

“It is up to our community and businesses to use this opportunity to attract people back to Moville, to live and work, in an enhanced environment and this will also provide an opportunity to restore our empty buildings as homes or hubs for remote working.

“The recent Covid pandemic reinforced the importance of the Green and Sli na Slainte for exercise and recreation and dramatically increased footfall in the area. Last summer the Green was attracting locals and day-trippers in increasing numbers, so hopefully this will continue,” said Cllr Farren.

In Newtowncunningham, the Town and Villages Renewal Scheme project is a dedicated outdoor 'Space for Young People-Generation Alpha'.

It will be centrally located, and will consolidate the village core as a place for all its people providing a vibrant hub for community enjoyment.

Welcoming the Town and Villages Renewal Scheme funding for Moville and Newtowncunningham, Cllr Terry Crossan (Sinn Féin) said it would give both areas a much needed boost.

Also welcoming the Newtown funding, Cllr Paul Canning (Fianna Fáil) thanked Minister Charlie McConalogue and the Newtown Focus Group.

Cllr Canning added: “I would also like to thank Donegal County Council's administration staff.

“Part of this funding will be used to carry out a master plan for the village with a view to apply for more strategic funding and to align all services along the right path.”

Welcoming the funding, Minister Charlie McConalogue said: "This announcement of almost €400,000 for Donegal projects is important and will help rejuvenate Churchill, Moville and Newtowncunningham.

"It is funding which will help boost local community initiatives in those towns."