Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme
02.06.22
APPLICATIONS have opened
again for Donegal County Council’s Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme that assists the owners and occupiers of thatched
dwellings with their maintenance and repair. The grant
scheme provides advice to owners on the conservation of
thatched roofs, allocates funding for small-scale thatch
repairs and helps homeowners carry out necessary repairs
under conservation supervision.
This year the scheme has two strands:
• Stream 1 will provide advice and funding for
small-scale thatch repairs up to €3,000
• Stream 2 will provide support for one or two
large-scale re-thatching projects up to €15,000 where
the historic thatch building contributes to landscape
character, history, culture or tourism. |
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Rope-thatched cottage in
Ballykeeny, Inishowen was one of the properties that
benefited under the Thatch Repair Grant Scheme. The
scheme allows for small scale thatch repairs as
evidenced by the ‘patch’ repairs shown here. |
The Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme is open for applications at
www.donegalcoco.ie until 12 noon on Friday, June 17.
Joseph Gallagher, Heritage Officer, explains: “The
success of Donegal County Council’s Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme over the past three years has been considerable
with 65 thatch repair projects supported... We cannot
get complacent. We must recognise that our efforts at
present are just slowing the rate of loss of historic
thatch. It is sobering to think that, and difficult to
understand why, within the next ten to twenty years few
examples of these once ubiquitous thatched buildings
will survive if the current rate of loss continues.
After all, these buildings help to tell the story of
most Donegal families and now lend character to our
cultural landscape. Challenges such as the lack of
available and affordable insurance for thatched
buildings, the limited number of thatchers, especially
rope thatchers and the lack of availability of thatching
materials continue to pose threats to the future of
these iconic buildings that house so many family
memories and social history.”
“Through the implementation of the Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme, we have learnt more about the state of historic
thatch in the county and the challenges it faces. We
know that we have a very small number of highly-skilled
full-time or part-time thatchers but apprentices and
apprenticeships are needed. We know that many people
want to maintain their historic thatch but need targeted
support. We know that the demand for good-quality
thatching materials outstrips current supply but there
are opportunities for farmers to diversity and produce
these crops on a commercial basis. We know that
insurance on thatched buildings could be more
competitive and affordable but the insurance industry
needs to demonstrate greater understanding of, and be
better informed about the risks to, historic thatch. We
know that there are local employment opportunities in
conserving historic thatch but these have not been
recognised.”
Applications forms for the Thatch Repair Grant Scheme
are available online at
www.donegalcoco.ie/heritage or by contacting Joseph
Gallagher, Heritage Officer or Collette Beattie,
Conservation Officer on 074 91 53900 or by email at
thatch@donegalcoco.ie . |
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