Five sites in Donegal are to share almost €189,000 in funding under the Community Monuments Fund.
The bulk of the funding, almost €77,000 goes to the old church and graveyard in Kilmacrennan, with money also being allocated to St Catherine’s Church and Graveyard in Killybegs, Malin Well Church, Doon Fort and O’Doherty’s Keep in Buncrana.
Agriculture and Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue says the funding for the old church in Kilmacrennan is particularly welcome, a point that’s been particularly welcomed by local Councillor John O’Donnell………
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McConalogue welcomes almost €190k in Community Monuments funding for Donegal
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Donegal T.D., Charlie McConalogue, today welcomed the announcement by his colleague Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, of the approval of five project grants for County Donegal under the Department’s Community Monuments Fund. Donegal’s five project received a total of €188,688 in funding.
The core objective of the Community Monuments Fund is to support the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites. It contains a number of different measures aimed at enabling conservation works to be carried out on archaeological monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support, encouraging access to archaeological monuments and improving their presentation and also building resilience in archaeological monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.
Speaking today, Minister McConalogue said:
“I am delighted that community monuments right across our county have been selected for funding. All five of these projects, including almost €80,000 in funding for the Killmacrenan Church and Graveyard, are a testament to the local people who care passionately for these heritage sites. Their preservation is crucial to maintaining the history and culture of these sites for years to come. The Killmacrenan project in particular is historically important, located in the cemetery adjacent to the 16th century Franciscan church wall, the Kilmacrenan Old Church, built post 1622 was in use and repaired during the 18th century, and the surviving tower is probably an addition of that date. The tower is in a state of disrepair with potential collapse of elements in the future. A small vaulted masonry structure adjoining the external NE angle of the ruined church is also in a state of potential collapse. This funding will enable removal of ivy and structural conservation of tower and small vaulted masonry structure, repointing and repining stonework, with lime mortar matching existing walls.”
