Groups asked to put their mark on the new County Donegal Heritage Plan

The search is on for new ideas for what should be included in the new County Donegal Heritage Plan is on.

An appeal has gone out to members of heritage and museum groups, centres, non-governmental organisations, environmental groups, Tidy Towns committees, or community groups with a heritage remit to become involved.

The initiative is being driven by the County Donegal Heritage Office and the County Donegal Heritage Forum. They want to hear your views on what should be included in the new County Donegal Heritage Plan.

An added incentive, if noe were needed, is the invitation to a free Information Breakfast event to take place in the Radisson Hotel, Paddy Harte Road, Letterkenny at 10am on Monday, November 21.

Advance booking is required through Donegal County Museum at (074) 912 4613 or by e-mail at museum@donegalcoco.ie. A light breakfast will be served.

“Donegal County Council and the County Donegal Heritage Forum in partnership with The Heritage Council are beginning the process of preparing a new heritage plan for the county,” explains County Donegal Heritage Officer, Joseph Gallagher.

“The County Heritage Plan is a five-year strategic action plan for the identification, conservation, management, promotion and interpretation of our built, cultural and natural heritage."

He stresses that it's important that all heritage groups, community groups interested in our heritage and those working in the heritage sector contribute their ideas, concerns and suggestions to see if they can be addressed in the new plan as it will direct heritage priorities, resources and funding for heritage in the county over the next five years.

The new plan will include actions relating to our natural environment such as wildlife, habitats, flora, fauna and geology, our built environment such as historic buildings, landscapes, parks and gardens shaped by human design, our archaeology such as monuments, ancient objects and shipwrecks and our cultural inheritance such as skills, folklore, traditions and archives. 

In fact, it will be the third County Heritage Plan for County Donegal. Consultant John O’Brien has been commissioned by Donegal County Council to assist in preparing a first draft of the new plan and he will lead a workshop with those attending the Information Breakfast event.

In the new National Heritage Plan – Heritage Ireland 2030 – published in February 2022, there is a commitment to “continue the preparation and implementation of County Heritage Plans and resource their implementation with a view to maximising their effectiveness and assistance in the delivery of Heritage Ireland 2030”.

At present, core funding for the implementation of County Heritage Plans is provided by The Heritage Council. In order to access this funding, the County Donegal Heritage Office and County Donegal Heritage Forum apply to The Heritage Council every year for priority actions identified in the County Heritage Plan. This funding is matched by funding from Donegal County Council and other County Heritage Forum partners.

Details of a full public consultation process on the preparation of the new plan will be announced soon.

If you would like to find out more about the preparation of the new County Heritage Plan, contact the County Donegal Heritage Office at (074) 9172576 or by e-mail at heritage@donegalcoco.ie