Applications are now being sought for the award-winning Thatch Repair Grant Scheme in Donegal.

Now in its fourth year, the Donegal County Council scheme helps the owners and occupiers of thatched dwellings and businesses with their maintenance and repair. 

This year's grant scheme has two strands: Stream 1 will provide advice and funding for small-scale thatch repairs up to €3,000 while 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. 

The scheme is open to applications until 12 noon on Friday 17 June.

"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," said Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer. "Our Thatch Repair Grant Scheme won the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Award in the 'Heritage & Built Environment' category in November 2020. The award recognises the best local authority initiatives to promote public interest in, and knowledge, appreciation and protection of local heritage. Despite these achievements, 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. A concerted effort by key stakeholders such as the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, The Heritage Council, Údarás na Gaeltachta, thatchers, training agencies, academic departments, farming organisations, open-air museums and the insurance industry is needed now to arrest and reverse this loss. The new vernacular built heritage strategy by the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage presents an opportunity, and surely one of the last opportunities, to intervene in a positive way to save, conserve and engender pride in our historic thatch.

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"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."

Collette Beattie, Conservation Officer, Donegal County Council, added: "Donegal County Council considers that the conservation of our traditional buildings constitutes appropriate, sustainable and responsible development. At present, there are over 20 thatched buildings on the Record of Protected Structures for County Donegal and many more are eligible for inclusion. The Thatch Repair Grant Scheme addresses several Donegal County Council plans and strategies including the County Donegal Heritage Plan to 'Encourage the conservation of thatch and thatching skills and materials in County Donegal as a distinctive aspect of the county's heritage' as well as several policies in the Donegal County Development Plan to protect and conserve our traditional buildings. Types of small-scale thatch repairs that might be eligible to Donegal County Council's Thatch Repair Grant Scheme include repairs to the eaves, the ridge, flashings around the chimney, holes, furrows, fixings, ropes, wire netting, the gable and the roof timbers or carpentry.

"The launch of the vernacular built heritage strategy entitled 'A Living Tradition' in December 2021 by the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage is an important development and provides national government recognition of the urgent need to understand, care for and conserve our vernacular buildings. The conservation of historic thatch is an all of Ireland issue. The issues facing historic thatch are similar on both sides of the border so there is much to be learned and achieved by sharing our experiences and expertise."