merrion street

Dinny McGinley TD Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht welcomed the announcement by his colleague Michael Ring TD Minster of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under Fáilte Ireland’s Festival Funding Allocations for 2012.

Under this initiative funding has been allocated to two Donegal based festivals. The Rory Gallagher international Tribute Festival will receive some €20,000 while the Earagail Arts Festival has been allocated €50,000.

Welcoming the announcement Minister McGinley said: “I am delighted that the Rory Gallagher International Festival has received this funding. Rory Gallagher is credited as being the pioneer of Irish Rock ‘n Blues and to this day is acclaimed worldwide for his raw energetic live performances. It is a testament to the tremendous work of the voluntary committee that Rock ‘n Blues acts such as Horslips, will headline this year’s 4-day Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival in Ballyshannon. This festival provides a very welcome influx of visitors both national and international who contributes greatly to the economy of the local community.”

“The Earagail Arts Festival is an event which we can all be proud of and this funding of €50,000 will greatly assist this festival which has grown in both excellence and quality, year after year. This unique festival celebrates all that is great about Donegal music, theatre, visual arts and our native language. It provides a perfect forum to showcase Donegal's great artistic identity and wide ranging talent as well as celebrating cultural diversity - a festival that is truly inclusive” added Minister of State McGinley