A TOURIST ATTRACTION in Co Donegal has closed indefinitely following a major fire that has destroyed half of the venue.

Fire crews responded to a large fire at Doagh Famine Village, which recreated buildings from famine-era Ireland, told visitors the stories from the famine and served as a community hub for residents in Ballyliffin.

The fire took place on Saturday afternoon and destroyed a replica Orange Hall which told the story of the peace process and a section of the museum that detailed the history of the travelling community in Ireland.

The museum first-opened in 1997 and gave guided tours to visitors who experienced what it was like to live through life in Ireland from the Great Famine in the 1840s to the present day. 

In a statement on their website, the museum which is owned by a family said it will be closed until further notice. It told visitors who had tickets book to contact the site for a full refund and apologised for the inconvenience.

Speaking to RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland this morning, Pat Doherty from the museum said the sections impacted by the fire were “totally destroyed”. He said that the family-run museum has been adding new pieces to its exhibits since it first opened.

“All that story of bringing people together from both sides of the community up here are now gone completely,” he said.

He added: “We’re just a family-run business, so the museum was self sustaining. That’s why we took these risks to make it self sustaining, and made it unique in that way.”

Doherty said the thatched roofs of the staged homes were not insured and investments will be needed in order to restore them. He added that there’s a chance that the museum can “still survive” from what was saved in the fire.

A forensic investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the fire, the museum said in a statement yesterday evening. It thanked members of the community for its messages of support and the emergency crews for their rapid response to the fire.

“While this is a heartbreaking moment for all of us, we are committed to rebuilding and will share updates as soon as possible.”