Community effort to rebuild fire-damaged attraction

A community effort is underway to rebuild a beloved attraction that was severely damaged by a fire. The Doagh Famine Village, located in Donegal, is a place that tells the story of Irish families during the famine and up to the present day. Pat Doherty, the owner of the village, expressed his devastation after the fire broke out last Saturday. He even thought about giving up on the project entirely. However, the response from the community has been nothing short of incredible. People have come together to offer donations and volunteer their time to help restore this important tourist destination. The fire reportedly started in an outbuilding, where a compressor machine overheated. Due to dry weather and strong winds, the flames quickly spread to a newer extension of the village. While the main part of the village, which focuses on the famine, remains intact, the sections dedicated to the Peace Process and the Traveller community were destroyed. Pat Doherty shared that many items lost in the fire are now 'lost to history. ' Among the irreplaceable items was an original gypsy wagon that belonged to a family from Letterkenny. Additionally, an Orange Hall that had been built with contributions from lodges across Northern Ireland was also lost. Despite the significant damage, Pat is motivated by the overwhelming support from the community. He stated, 'We will have to rebuild and hope that we can get the stories back, and it might be a bit different, but maybe better the second time round. ' He emphasized the importance of sharing stories from both sides of the community, saying, 'It’s all for peace. ' After the fire was controlled, Pat described the scene as 'devastation. ' A local construction company has volunteered to help clear the damaged area so that rebuilding can begin. Pat hopes to reopen the family-run business by the end of summer. He described the level of goodwill from the people and businesses in Donegal as 'strange, in a good way. ' A nearby attraction, Wild Alpaca Way, initiated a crowdfunding campaign that quickly raised a significant amount of money. One young man even donated most of his birthday money to help. A local shop also contributed €2,000 from its earnings, and another outdoor attraction presented Pat with a €10,000 check. Pat noted that attractions in Donegal rely on each other, stating, 'One attraction depends on another in Donegal; they all work together. ' Unfortunately, because many structures in the village have traditional thatched roofs, the insurance does not cover fire damage. The Donegal County Fire Service confirmed that while some important exhibits were lost, the thatched cottages and other key buildings were protected from the flames. Fire brigades from Buncrana, Carndonagh, and Moville responded to the incident and remained on the scene until late in the evening. The Gardaí, or Irish police, also assisted and completed a technical examination of the area.