Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers to continue running Limavady's Green Lane Museum

In 2008, a lease, which runs until 2032, was agreed between DAERA and then-Limavady Borough Council stipluating that the building, located at Limavady’s Roe Valley Country Park, must be maintained as a museum.

In 2021 the council sought a community group to voluntarily operate the museum with the support of Museum Services, and following an expression of interest application process, Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers (RVAR) was the only group to submit an application form and meet all the requirements of the application.

RVAR worked with Museum Services under a keyholder agreement for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and at this month’s Leisure and Development Committee meeting, members approved the Museum Service’s proposal to update the current Keyholder Agreement for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Additionally, RVAR will develop a plan to demonstrate engagement, outreach and collaboration with local stakeholders to “ensure sustainability and growth of the museum”.

DUP Alderman Aaron Callan asked what kind of customer engagement the museum had received since RVAR took over operation of the museum.

Head of Community and Culture, Julie Welsh, noted an officers’ report, which showed that visitor numbers increased from 2380 in 2019 to over 4,000 in both 2023 and 2024 (attendance was unavailable in 2020/21 and through appointment only in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic).

Ms Welsh concluded: “That’s delivered by volunteers themselves, the numbers are creeping back up and we’re very happy with that, and there’s no additional staff and costs from ourselves in doing that.”