Rathmullan Secures Major LEADER Funding for The Battery

Rathmullan The Way Forward Group has secured funding of approximately €260,000 for restoration and conservation works on the Napoleonic Battery in the village with 75% granted by LEADER and 25% by the Tomar Trust. It is envisaged that the necessary work will commence before the end of August 2020 and be completed by March 2021.

The news has been welcomed by the community in Rathmullan and is the first step in developing the site as a community hub, education centre, sports centre and major tourist attraction.

Rathmullan The Way Forward is working closely with Donegal County Council and the Tomar Trust in order to fund the next 4 Stages of Development as decided by the general public and local community in a recent Feasibility Study conducted by Ronan Friel of Pasparakis Friel in 2019.

The Battery is a solid stone structure, which was built in 1810 as one of six on the shores of Lough Swilly and is located in the centre of Rathmullan. It is one of many defensive structures built by the British in the wake of the French invasion of 1798 in support of the United Irishmen’s rebellion.

The €260,000 will be used to restore loose block work, secure masonry walls, repair the chimney and cast iron rainwater system to help dry out the building, remove a large obsolete concrete water tank to allow beach access while all the while using conservation grade materials.

Rathmullan The Way Forward is now working with Donegal County Council and the Tomar Trust to hopefully raise the necessary funds so that the 4 Stage Development Work can begin in Summer 2021.

Pic credit - Paul Deeney

This project has been funded by the Tomar Trust, Donegal Local Community Development Committee, Donegal Local Development CLG, Donegal County Council & the Department of Rural & Community Development through LEADER grant aid received under The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development in Ireland 2014-2020 "Europe investing in rural areas".