AUGUST 2011

Heritage Group to survey Donegal stone roofs

A nationwide survey is being carried out on dwellings with a unique style of stone slate-roofs (schist). Owners of such properties or anyone with knowledge of stone slate-roofs are being asked to take part.

It is understood that Donegal has one of the largest concentrations of schist roofs in Ireland according to the preliminary results of a survey of schist-roofed traditional buildings carried out by Sarah Haplin an historic building specialist as part of the County Donegal Heritage plan. Sarah has been researching and recording schist and sandstone roofs throughout Ireland for the last number of years. She is now looking to record the number of houses in Inishowen which still use the distinctive slate.

Sarah explained: "My research to date reveals that County Donegal has the largest number of these unique roofs throughout Ireland for the last number of years. This reflects one strand of Donegal's rich heritage of surviving traditional buildings. Visually these roofs appear quite different from a regular slate roof. They have a very distinctive glistening micaceous surface, are much thicker in size and have more variation in colour than their slate counterparts."

The aims of the survey are to assess the numbers of surviving stone slate roofs in Donegal and to investigate how prevalent the use of stone slate was in the past within the study areas. The study also wants to investigate where the stone slate was sourced from historically and if quarries are still being worked within the study areas and also record the stone slate-roofed buildings identified.

Joseph Gallagher - Donegal Heritage Officer said: "The preliminary findings of the study of stone slate roofs in County Donegal are encouraging. These buildings are an important part of our built heritage and contribute to our sense of place and unique landscape character."

The study of stone slate roofs in County Donegal will be launched in the spring of 2012 and there will be a public presentation on the study's findings by Sarah Halpin.

Anyone who is the owner of a stone slate-roofed building or has information on stone roofs in County Donegal is asked to contact Sarah Halpin on (087) 913 4841 or email: irishstoneroof@gmail.com so that they can be included in the survey. Alternatively Sarah can be contacted through the County Donegal Heritage Office, Cultural Services, Donegal County Council on (074) 91 72576 or email: heritage@donegalcoco.ie.

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