Clare Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy has welcomed the allocation of €21,500 towards seven different County Clare festival events, scheduled to take place in 2013.
The funding has been provided under Failte Ireland’s Festivals and Participative Events Programme.
Clare recipients include Feile Brian Boru (€4,000), Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy (€3,500), Boru 3 Peaks (€2,000), and Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, 125th Anniversary of Clare Association in New York, Ennis Street Festival (€3,000 each).
Senator Mulcahy said the funding announcement will support Clare’s thriving festivals industry. He said: “Clare has established a reputation for hosting a wide array of quality festivals, ranging from the Ennis Book Club Festival to Willie Clancy Week to Feile Brian Boru. Funding mechanisms such as the Festivals and Participative Events Programme provide festival organising committees with at least some of the financial support required to hold such events. I would like to pay tribute to festival and events organisers around Clare for their hard work, as well as their contribution to the local economy.”
Senator Mulcahy added that the contribution made by Festivals is central to the ongoing revival of the tourism sector and the Irish economy. He continued: “Nationally, over 400,000 overseas visitors attended festivals in Ireland last year. More than 2 million bednights are generated by festivals, from the domestic market alone. Meanwhile, €450 million is generated by festivals in Ireland each year, with an estimated €300 million of this originating from domestic and overseas visitors who travel specifically to attend a festival.”
“With The Gathering Ireland initiative taking place during 2013, I hope people will consider holidaying at home and participating in some of the wonderful festivals that are held throughout the calendar year. It is also important that those operating in the accommodation and hospitality sector play their part in ensuring that County Clare and Ireland are affordable destinations to those wishing to holiday at home or visit from overseas,” concluded the Senator.
To qualify for funding under Failte Ireland’s Festivals and Participative Events Programme, festivals must generate a minimum of 600 overnight stays, while participative sporting events must generate a minimum of 1,000 overnight stays. Meanwhile, the festival or event must have a minimum expenditure of €10,000.
The funding has been provided under Failte Ireland’s Festivals and Participative Events Programme.
Clare recipients include Feile Brian Boru (€4,000), Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy (€3,500), Boru 3 Peaks (€2,000), and Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, 125th Anniversary of Clare Association in New York, Ennis Street Festival (€3,000 each).
Senator Mulcahy said the funding announcement will support Clare’s thriving festivals industry. He said: “Clare has established a reputation for hosting a wide array of quality festivals, ranging from the Ennis Book Club Festival to Willie Clancy Week to Feile Brian Boru. Funding mechanisms such as the Festivals and Participative Events Programme provide festival organising committees with at least some of the financial support required to hold such events. I would like to pay tribute to festival and events organisers around Clare for their hard work, as well as their contribution to the local economy.”
Senator Mulcahy added that the contribution made by Festivals is central to the ongoing revival of the tourism sector and the Irish economy. He continued: “Nationally, over 400,000 overseas visitors attended festivals in Ireland last year. More than 2 million bednights are generated by festivals, from the domestic market alone. Meanwhile, €450 million is generated by festivals in Ireland each year, with an estimated €300 million of this originating from domestic and overseas visitors who travel specifically to attend a festival.”
“With The Gathering Ireland initiative taking place during 2013, I hope people will consider holidaying at home and participating in some of the wonderful festivals that are held throughout the calendar year. It is also important that those operating in the accommodation and hospitality sector play their part in ensuring that County Clare and Ireland are affordable destinations to those wishing to holiday at home or visit from overseas,” concluded the Senator.
To qualify for funding under Failte Ireland’s Festivals and Participative Events Programme, festivals must generate a minimum of 600 overnight stays, while participative sporting events must generate a minimum of 1,000 overnight stays. Meanwhile, the festival or event must have a minimum expenditure of €10,000.
