Official Doagh Famine Village fundraiser hits €55,000 as communities show support

Businesses and community organisations from across Donegal have set up fundraising events to support Doagh Famine Village after a fire partially destroyed the historic tourist attraction.

The official fundraising page for Doagh Famine Village was set up on GoFundMe by John McGonagle of Wild Alpaca Way. To date, it has raised over €55,000.

The Committee of the Ballyliffin International Coastal Challenge made a decision to give a donation of €10,000 to Pat Doherty, owner of Doagh Famine Village, to help with the rebuild.

READ NEXT: Inishowen fundraiser launched for families of teenagers who died in Lough Swilly

They shared: “The Coastal Challenge is an organisation set up to promote tourism in the area mainly at Easter, when we organise a 10-mile challenge through the Isle of Doagh and across Pollan Bay to the car park below the village of Ballyliffin Village.

“We are giving this donation to Pat to help him re-build.

“We commiserate with the Doherty family in the loss of the historical artefacts and buildings and wish them every success in the future.”

Fundraising events

Colgan Hall in Carndonagh has organised a raffle in conjunction with Inishowen Agricultural Show, with all proceeds going directly to Pat and the Doherty family.

The raffle prizes include a Donegal GAA jersey, signed by all the team, which was donated by Carn Agri Products. Tickets are €5 each and more information can be found on the Colgan Hall Facebook page.

Wild Ireland, located in Burnfoot, announced that 100 per cent of their ticket sales on Thursday will be donated to the fund.

In a post, they shared that Doagh Famine Village is “a place that holds a special place in the heart of Donegal and beyond — a living story of our past, built with passion by Pat and Majella Doherty.”

Centra Clonmany has also announced that all profits from the sale of goods in their store on Thursday will go towards the rebuild.

Inishowen Yoga and Pilates is donating the takings from their class on Saturday morning to the official GoFundMe page.

They shared: “We held @NorthWestYogaFestival at the beautiful Doagh Famine Village and Pat and Majella could not have been more supportive of the charity event both years we ran it.”

There’s also a fundraising night at the Plaza, Buncrana on Saturday from 9:30pm.

Clontoogh NS will hold a coffee morning in St Mary's Hall Clonmany on Sunday, May 11 from 12pm - 2pm. All money raised will go towards Doagh Famine Village.

Adventure Sports Culdaff is putting on an evening/ sunset kayak trip Sunday at 7:30pm at Bunagee pier, with all proceeds going to help the cause. Check their Facebook page for more details.

Saint Columbcille Village, Clonmany, is hosting a coffee morning on Thursday, May 15 from 9:30am to 12:30pm in the Day Centre. Home baking is welcomed and there will be a raffle on the day.

Glen Folk Village, Glencolmcille, is also hosting a maidin chaife, coffee morning in aid of Doagh Famine Village 10am to 12pm on Friday May 16.

READ NEXT: A helping hand as an official fundraiser set up for Doagh Famine Village after fire

Doagh Famine Village

Approximately sixty per cent of Doagh Famine Village was destroyed in a fire that broke out just before 3:30pm on Saturday last.

No one was injured in the blaze. A Garda technical exam has now been completed and it’s understood that a faulty air compressor may have caused the fire. Foul play is not suspected.

“We had public liability insurance but we couldn’t get insurance for fire,” Pat Doherty told DonegalLive. “You can’t get fire insurance for thatched houses. Unfortunately, we’re not covered for any of the losses. It’s a total disaster.”

Founded in 1997, Doagh Famine Village has been built up over the years by Pat and his sister Majella. The village offered tourists an opportunity to see what life was like in the region during the Famine in the 1840s.