One of the key actions of Donegal's heritage-led plan has been recognised with a prestigious prize at the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland national awards.

The Ramelton Historic Towns Initiative won the 'Urban Design' Award and was highly commended in the 'Sustainability' category at a recent event in Dublin.

The clients for the project were individual private building owners, the Ramelton Georgian Society, and Donegal County Council. The project was grant-assisted by The Heritage Council and Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage under the Historic Towns Initiative. In addition to providing management of the project by the county conservation and heritage officers, Collette Beattie and Dr Joseph Gallagher, further investment was provided by Donegal County Council, with the balance of funding provided by individual building owners.

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Ramelton is the one of five designated Heritage Towns in County Donegal and the 'heritage-led' Ramelton Action Plan was prepared by the Moville-based conservation practice, Dedalus Architecture. The plan, directing regeneration of neglected urban fabric, was made working closely with the Ramelton Georgian Society and Donegal County Council to establish connections to inform residents and undertake further projects anticipated in the plan. 

"The Ramelton Historic Towns Initiative, the first of the actions of the heritage-led plan to be implemented, involved repair of twelve run-down or unused buildings, making a massive improvement in the appearance and future fortunes of the historic town core, on a shoestring budget," said Duncan McLaren, Principal Architect with Dedalus Architecture. "The project demonstrates the potential for modest conservation and repair work at an urban scale to address regeneration inclusively, sustainably and cost-effectively. The repair of our built heritage is an urgent challenge for all Irish towns, and is a simple, but essential first step in reducing energy consumption, and a critical action in helping to address climate change."

The RIAI Awards ceremony also saw two projects by Rathmullan-based architects, Pasparaskis Friel, being highly commended for a private house and the Killybegs Regeneration Strategy and Action Plan also for Donegal County Council.