Delight in Glenties as €400,000 is secured for the Brian Friel Centre

A significant leap has been made in the fundraising for the Brian Friel Centre in Glenties with the allocation of €400,000 from the Heritage Support Fund. 

The Brian Friel Trust was established in 2017 to found a 'Brian Friel Centre', honouring his rich cultural legacy as a dramatist and writer. The committee has been undertaking fundraising initiatives to finance the project, so securing such a huge allocation has been described as a “game changer.”

“Wonderful news today with the allocation of €400,000 towards the development of the Brian Friel Centre,” The Brian Friel Centre shared. 

“We were delighted, along with others, to help support the application and we congratulate the Brian Friel Trust on their success, a real game changer for the town.” 

The Trust's ongoing vision is to completely restore and renovate The Laurels as the Dancing at Lughnasa House and to establish the main centre in the nearby Court House, which the Trust secured from Donegal County Council last year, which negated the need for a costly new build. 

Plans for the Court House include a vibrant, dynamic and creative interpretative visitor attraction, containing elements of the Friel archive - displays of photographs, letters and theatrical memorabilia, as well as Brian's reading library and a performance space.

The Trust has sourced the funds to buy The Laurels and has secured the integrity of the building, which had fallen into disrepair, including the roof, windows and outer walls which have now been weatherproofed.

The projected cost of the entire project is approximately, €5 million.  Phase One is now complete at the cost of €110,000. The group is now ready to begin Phase Two which will cost €50,000 and will provide the vital next step.

Brian Friel was one of Ireland’s greatest playwrights with his works performed all over the world from Broadway to the West End from the Abbey Theatre to the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Minneapolis. But it is Glenties and the surrounding Donegal landscape, that has become immortalised in several of his plays as the fictional village 'Ballybeg'.

Whether you are already a fan of Friel’s work or someone who enjoys good writing and drama, there is a wide variety of extracts to enjoy. 

Readings will include pieces from Philadelphia Here I Come,  Faith Healer, Freedom of the City, Translations, Lovers and Dancing at Lughnasa with a reading from one of his wonderful short stories Mr Sing My Heart’s Delight.