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GOLA SKILLS SCHOOL 'UNMITIGATED SUCCESS'
One of the young builders attending the Traditional Building Skills School on Gola Island described the weekend as an 'unmitigated success'.
The School involved re-roofing a typical Donegal vernacular building using natural Bangor Blue slates, chiseling off cement render and replacing it with lime, stripping the door and treating it with linseed oil and repainting using natural paints as well as repairing a sliding sash window. Those taking part took the opportunity to ask their own questions along the way.
Sean Brogan and his talented builders, Eamon McGill and Johnny Boyce (who camped and fished for their breakfast), demonstrated and encouraged others to get hands-on experience at every stage. Some of the local builders are going back to help complete the initial works, so the School has resulted in apprenticeships of sorts. We are hopeful that FAS and local colleges will progress project-based conservation training on the back of our positive experience.
The Gola Development Commmittee was delighted with the progress made and are talking about progressing the full restoration of the building, possibly for tourist accommodation. The hundreds of people who made it to Gola for the walking tours show what magnetic charm this magical island holds for visitors.
The pilot school was funded by the DoEHLG Environment Fund, Heritage Fund, Donegal County Council. The event was filmed and tours conducted in Irish thanks to funding from Foras Na Gaeilge. A Skills School Action Plan and DVD will follow.