A £3.8million investment agreement will transform Bellaghy Bawn in L'Derry into a creative writing hub.

The agreement was made between the Department for Communities and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Ireland) through the Shared Island initiative, and marks a significant milestone in the preservation and celebration of literary culture in Northern Ireland.

The Bawn will host a new writers' residency, offering a unique space for writers to immerse themselves in their craft, inspired by the rich literary history of the region, including its association with Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney.

The residency will include communal spaces for collaboration and accommodations to support writers' residencies.

The facility will provide a tranquil environment for creative work while also fostering a vibrant literary community in the heart of Northern Ireland.

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Communities Minister Gordon Lyons hopes the completed hub will inspire new and established writers.

He said: "Northern Ireland has an immense literary history, producing world renowned authors, playwrights and poets.

"The development of the writers' residence at Bellaghy Bawn will not only optimise the use of this historic space, it will also nurture the creativity of a new generation of local and international writers.

"These collaborative spaces in a unique setting will no doubt inspire new literary works, while contributing to the village’s community and the wider economy."

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, TD added: "I am honoured to be involved in the funding of a New Writers' Residence at Bellaghy Bawn through the Shared Island initiative, located in the area where one of Ireland's greatest poets was born and grew up.

"Seamus Heaney embodies the closeness of the people of this island. I believe his poetry is loved equally by all Irish people all across the island. 

"I look forward to seeing the new facility progress to become a place of inspiration and collaboration for future generations of writers."

The project was developed by Mid-Ulster District Council in association/partnership with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

The Arts Councils have a long history of collaboration on areas of mutual strategic interest and regularly fund organisations that operate on an all-island basis. The Shared Island Fund allocation will complement and support this cooperation.