About us
The Brian Friel Centre will be developed and operated by the Brian Friel Trust, established to realise the dream of a cultural centre in Glenties dedicated to honouring Brian Friel’s unique and rich cultural legacy. The management and staff team required to operate the Centre will be responsible for driving the development of the Centre through creative programming and prudent oversight of facilities, services and activities. The Centre will provide full and part-time employment opportunities. It has the potential to revitalise Glenties and its environs and to make a lasting contribution to the cultural and community life of this north-west corner of Ireland.
The Brian Friel Trust Company Limited by Guarantee exists:
To promote and celebrate the work and life of Brian Friel
To promote Glenties, the Ballybeg of the plays, as the wellspring of his imagination
To provide a cultural hub for the local community and beyond
To create an inspirational tourist attraction grounded in the life and work of Brian Friel
Mission
The Brian Friel Centre is dedicated to honouring the work of one of Ireland's greatest playwrights. We aim to:
Celebrate Friel’s contribution to literature by hosting performances, readings, exhibitions and events that draw on his inspirational body of work
Inspire new generations of writers, performers, and theatre enthusiasts through educational programs, arts events, exhibitions and workshops.
Encourage a deeper understanding of Ireland’s literary and theatrical traditions by locating Friel’s work in the broader cultural context.
The Story so far
Brian Friel died in October 2015. The Brian Friel Trust was established in 2016 with the simple wish of honouring his rich cultural legacy by establishing a cultural centre in the playwright’s name in a place that meant so much to him as both playwright and person.
The Trust immediately acquired the Laurels, home of Brian Friel’s mother, and the inspirational setting for his award-winning play, Dancing at Lughnasa. Although it has fallen into disrepair, we feel that this iconic location, listed as a protected structure, is one of national and international cultural significance.
In 2022 Donegal County Council offered the Brian Friel Trust the former Court House in Glenties as the main building for the Brian Friel Centre.
In 2023 the Trust commissioned CHL Consulting and John McLaughlin architects to undertake a feasibility study for the Centre and develop high-level architectural plans. Essential work has already been completed to ensure the building is saved from any further dilapidation with a new roof and windows now completed in line with best practice architectural conservation.
In 2024, conservation building work began on conserving the external structure of the buildings. The Brian Friel Centre development is currently funded by The Heritage Council and Donegal County Council as part of the implementation of the County Donegal Heritage Plan. The work supports the Glenties Historic Towns Initiative (HT19192) which is a partnership between The Brian Friel Trust CLG, Donegal County Council, Dedalus Architecture, property owners and the local community funded by The Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.
