Cash boost for Ballyshannon heritage site

Well-known Donegal heritage site, Condon House, The Mall, Ballyshannon, has been awarded funding to conserve notable historic structures under the Historic Structures Fund 2022.

This comes on foot of criticism from councillors on the Donegal Municipal District who recently complained about the levels of dereliction and neglect in their area including Ballshannon.

The site has been awarded funding for work on internal structural repair, the renewal of internal timber floor
structures to the main house; vegetation management and the renewal of roof coverings to an outbuilding.

A total of €4m was awarded nationwide through the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in partnership with the 31 Local Authorities.

The announcement follows that of €4m in funding under the Department’s other built heritage grant scheme, the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, earlier this month.

In addition to supporting owners and custodians of historic and protected structures to safeguard and maintain their properties, this funding will also provide a welcome boost to conservation professionals and tradespeople, including in specialist heritage roles such as thatching and stone work.

Following on from the successful introduction of the Historic Shopfront Stream last year, the HSF has again made funding available for a range of shopfronts including bars and pubs which operate in buildings of historical significance

Through grants of between €15,000 and €200,000, the HSF assists owners of heritage structures – including those on the local authorities’ Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas – to meet their obligations to care for their properties.

The scheme provides assistance to a wide range of heritage structures – this year’s HSF includes awards to historic bridges, castles, churches, mills, libraries, shopfronts, and an old forge, as well as to private houses.