Bellaghy has two significant cultural sites located in the centre of the village: Bellaghy Bawn which is owned by the Department for Communities; and Seamus Heaney HomePlace, which is owned and managed by Mid Ulster District Council.
Bellaghy Bawn Writer's Residency
The Departmet of Communities has been successful in securing €4.6m through the Shared Island Fund towards the development of Bellaghy Bawn as a place for a Writer's Residency. The project has the potential to be a driver and enabler of social and economic change for both the village of Bellaghy and across the Island. It will create opportunities for writers and for Bellaghy to be recognised as a creative hub for the arts.
The project involves the development of seven units in the outbuildings of Bellaghy Bawn, and the creation of a communal and community space with the Bawn itself. A Planning Application has been lodged and is currently awaiting decision.
Bellaghy Regeneration Strategy and Action Plan
Bellaghy Regeneration Strategy and Action Plan has been developed to support the
future of Bellaghy - a village with a strong sense of place, community and history.
It brings together a series of practical, place-based projects shaped by engagement with local people, schools, community groups and stakeholders. These ideas respond to what was heard: the need for safer streets, more local activity, improved public spaces, and a desire to protect and celebrate the village’s unique identity.
The plan outlines clear actions across five themes, setting out short, medium and long-term priorities. It is intended as a working document - one that supports local collaboration and helps unlock funding and delivery.
The five themes are:
1. Paths of Place - which focuses on walkability and connections;
2. Echoes of Bellaghy - celebrating local culture and storytelling;
3. Gather & Belong - creating welcoming spaces for community life;
4. Reimagine Bellaghy - breathing new life into vacant and underused buildings; and
5. Moving Through Bellaghy - improving transport, signage and accessibility. Together, they represent a holistic approach to regeneration — linking infrastructure, identity, wellbeing and opportunity.
An exciting opportunity exists to build on Bellaghy’s notable strengths to become an ever better place in which to live, work and visit.
A copy of the Regeneration Strategy & Action Plan is available on request by emailing
Davina.mccartney@midulstercouncil.org
Governance
A new Council Owned Company, HomeBawn Limited, will be responsible for the operation and management of Bellaghy Bawn Writers Residency.
HomeBawn Limited are currently developing a strategic vision and plan which will inform their Strategic and Business Plans.