Reynold’s Folly, Coolbeg, Co. Donegal
Pics of the folly before work was undertaken:
The Follies Trust is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a grant of €25,000 by the Heritage Council of Ireland under its Community Heritage Grants Scheme 2024. This is the maximum award offered by the Heritage Council under this scheme.
Reynold’s Folly, as it is popularly known, is a Heritage Structure NIAH Reference 40910323. It is located on a hill top overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Rossnowlagh beach, Co Donegal.
It was built in 1843 as a small house where one could take tea and enjoy the amazing panoramic views. As can be seen from the photographs it is now in a precarious state. The Follies Trust’ plans are to conserve and stabilise the structure as found, rather than replace the roof which disappeared long ago.
Conservation work will commence on 8th August 2024 when a group of volunteers from the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB Ireland) will be on site to clear away debris, locate stones fallen from the structure and carry out other necessary initial works. They will be supervised by Eoin Madigan, a former SPAB scholar and a 6th generation stonemason who runs Madigan Traditional Masonry Ltd, and his team, as well as the Follies Trust’s professional advisers, McCollum Conservation Ltd.
The Follies Trust is very grateful to the Heritage Council for this very generous award. To carry out the necessary conservation work the Trust is committed to raising a similar sum. We are also delighted to be working with the owner of the property and Donegal County Council’s Conservation and Heritage officers on this project.
Madigan Traditional Masonry were on site on 8/9 August and worked with Scholars & Fellows from SPAB(Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) to undertake initial conservation.
Photographs below show the repairs undertaken.
On Sunday 18 August, during National Heritage week, members of the Follies Trust were on site to show work in progress.
(Pics below of visitors to the site that day)
NB. The folly is no longer publicly accessible as it is situated on private property.
The Follies Trust is delighted to have the support of the Heritage Council of Ireland in conserving this splendid structure, a prominent feature on the Wild Atlantic Way, for future generations to enjoy.
In October 2024 Madigan Traditional Masonry returned to site and completed the work to consolidate the folly. The Follies Trust is grateful to them for undertaking this work with such care and sensitivity and to the owner of the land for his co-operation, also to Collette Beattie, Joe Gallagher and Barry Sweeney from Donegal County Council.
In August 2024 initial repair work was carried out on Reynold’s folly by a SPAB working party. This involved co-operation between the owner, Donegal County Council, SPAB, the local community and the Follies Trust. Below is a link to a film about the project.
Kindly funded by Creative Ireland through Donegal County Council
Finished photos of the site:
