€100,000 in festival funding is music to ears of organisers

ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND euro in funding has been set aside for ten festivals in the district.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of New Ross Municipal District council, Manager Sinead Casey said no additional money can be set aside for a proposed Mardi Gras festival in New Ross in August.

€8,000 has been allocated to the St Patrick’s Day Parade, €4,000 is going to the AIMS Choral Festival, with €25,000 allocated to a marquee Irish America festival taking place around the weekend after Thursday, July 4.

€5,000 is going to the Hooked on the Sea/ Hike to the Hook events, with €13,000 allocated to Norman commemoration events in Carrig on Bannow and New Ross. New Ross Piano Festival is funded to the tune of €10,000, with the same sum going towards the Kennedy Summer School in early September. A further €10,000 will be spent on the Eugene O’Neill International Festival of Drama in early October, completing the autumn series funding package.

€17,000 has been set aside for New Ross Nollaig, with €7,000 allocated to staff resources for other events.

Cllr Michael Sheehan said there is a move on for a Mardi Gras festival in August run by some local businessmen. He asked if councillors approve the draft festivals programme is there no more money available to help fund the Mardi Gras festival and was told there is not.

Ms Casey said: ‘We presented a comprehensive report at the January meeting. Our district council supports festivals and their economic and social benefit to the district. Anyone who is thinking about running an event in August should have approached the district council before now. This proposal has been presented over the last five years in February once the council’s budget is approved.’

She said plans are well under way for each of the ten festivals.

‘People have been booked and speakers have been engaged with. Of course the door is always open for a group to discuss a festival and some limited funding may be available but all of the festival listed do actively get corporate support, as well as district support.’

Cathaoirleach Cllr John Fleming said: ‘We have a plan for the year and we have wonderful events which show the town in a positive light, even on RTE and Sky.’

Cllr Anthony Connick said Ms Casey and the festivals committee would be more than happy to meet with the Mardi Gras festival organisers, Ms Casey adding, ‘but not the week before’.

Cllr Martin Murphy said: ‘The whole purpose is to put plans on the table at the very beginning of the year, if not it’s a festival for the following year.’

Cllr Willie Fitzharris said the town and district has a great line-up of festivals, adding that some are better attended than others.

‘Given the logistics of setting up a festival and all of the insurance and policy requirements, people who are not experienced in running them do not known all that’s involved in it. The 4th of July festival has a capacity for other bodies to come in. I would encourage people to have a look at the festival line-up we have and if they have something to offer they can come in with us as all of the logistics are already in place and it would make for a higher quality way forward.’

Cllr Connick agreed, saying: ‘This is not us against anyone. I am telling you, we’ve been organising the St Patrick’s Day Parade since September. We’ve had six meetings so far about barriers, safety and more. I think a big festival in August would be a great thing. The door is open, just come in and talk.’

Cllr Michael Whelan said the council’s Arts department has a small grant available for people organising festivals.