Former Derry Playhouse manager on track with Donegal rail project

After nearly 20 years of managing The Playhouse Theatre in Derry, Niall a few years back set his sights on transforming the Donegal Railway Museum in Donegal Town.

In the time he has been there, he has increased footfall to the museum by over 30%. He has also just secured for the museum its largest ever capital grant, to bring the famous Donegal steam engine back to the county.

As well as managing The Playhouse in Derry, Niall was also the first to lobby for Derry to be allocated a City of Culture title as far back as 2007. In 2014 he was awarded the Derry Chamber’s Business Award for Arts, for his foundation work in the City being named UK City of Culture the previous year.

His current work in the museum has led to it securing the return of Donegal’s most famous steam engine, Drumboe for Donegal Town.

Early in 2019 a campaign was launched by Niall and his team to raise the funding, and after receiving donations from across the island of Ireland and further afield, including from Graham Forbes (grandson of CDR Manager Henry Forbes), The North West of Ireland Railway Society and many others, it was Donegal Local Development CLG who came in with the main part with a grant of €65k, leaving now only a small amount remaining to raise.

Niall said: “We are delighted to secure the funding for the bulk of this project to deliver this milestone heritage and tourism project for Donegal. As well as returning Drumboe to presentation state, and transporting her back to Donegal Town, the funding will also be spent on restructuring the site at the front, building a new platform, building a canopy over the engine and other stock, lighting her as well as work to the front of the station.

“We would like to thank Donegal Local Development CLG and all of our benefactors who have made this ambitious, but much needed project, possible.

“We have recognised for some time that to properly celebrate Donegal Railway Heritage, the largest narrow-gauge network in the British Isles, the one thing that was missing was an original Donegal Steam Engine.

“Having Drumboe back on site will be a game-changer. Railway heritage tourism is now huge across Europe and globally, and this important investment will certainly put this part of Ireland on the national and international map.

“However our ambitions don’t stop there! We are also looking at a much more ambitious plan in the medium-long term to once again lay track and operate railway stock in this part of this Donegal!”

Frank Kelly, Donegal Local Development CLG stated: “Donegal Local Development CLG welcomes the project being delivered by the Donegal Railway Restoration Company CLG and which was funded by the Donegal LCDC through LEADER funds.

“The project can be of great benefit to the community of Donegal and tourists alike, helping to bring the Donegal Railway back to life through the return of this famous Donegal steam engine to Donegal Town.”

The project will take up to 12 months to complete.

If anyone wishes to contribute towards the remaining small shortfall, they can visit www.donegalrailway.com/donate/ or contacting the museum at Tel: (0035374)9722655, email [email protected].