ROBIN LEE ARCHITECTURE have been appointed by DONEGAL COUNTY COUNTY to deliver a major regeneration project, harnessing a collection of vacant buildings and open spaces within the town centre of Carndonagh in the Inishowen Municipal District, Co. Donegal.

Donegal County Council, in partnership with local award winning social enterprise ‘Spraoi agus Spórt’ have combined to implement a series of inter-related interventions designed to regenerate vacant and derelict fabric within the town centre environment, improve pedestrian infrastructure and linkages. It is envisaged that a set of business, social, recreational and commercial conditions will be created within the town centre environment that will make Carndonagh a more attractive place to visit, work, live and stay thereby further activating the private sector and achieving a dividend for all stakeholders.

Specifically the heritage led regeneration project consists of a collection of interventions on two brownfield sites in Carndonagh town centre:

To the south, constructed circa 1870 as a hotel and listed as a Protected Structure, the former McDonough & Co building will be the restored and repurposed to create a Co-working Hub (CoLabora).
The hotel was adapted for use as a department store with new shopfronts inserted and extensions added around 1920 and 1960 with evidence of the evolved use clear within remaining historic fabric that will be restored so that these interventions may communicate the rich history of the building. The building along with an associated collection of outbuildings to the rear are currently vacant and in varying states of disrepair. Through a careful process of adaption a range of enterprise and community-focused facilities will be accommodated including a Digital Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab), youth space and community Food Hub along with a public space at the heart of the complex.

To the north, the restoration and extension of an historic stone outbuilding will be undertaken to create a Creative Hub to support thriving maker and craft industries in the region. The repurposing of the building will be supported by the creation of a public route and linear park to enable universal access across the sloped site and improving town centre connectivity.

The Project is funded through the Rural Regeneration Development Fund administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development with additional funding being made available by Donegal County Council.

Planning approval for the scheme was granted in 2022.