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Funding will ensure visitor growth throughout the country in 2016

Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring TD has today (Thursday) announced that funding of just over €1.8m has been allocated to 23 key national festivals and events by Fáilte Ireland, under its 2016 National Festivals and Events Programme. This is the first phase of national funding to be announced with a second phase to come in February. Each of these events has significant international appeal and will take place during 2016. 

Minister Ring explained the significance of such funding: “Festivals and events are the essence of tourism and are very often what drives visitors to choose to come to Ireland. To guarantee that we will have a rich variety of spectacle and experiences throughout the country, and particularly to generate activity off-season, I am pleased to announce that almost €2million will be used to ensure there is plenty for visitors to enjoy in Ireland in 2016.

“This funding will play a significant part in growing tourism over the next 12 months and, additionally, I look forward to being in a position to announce another round of funding for smaller and regional festivals in the near future.”

The approved festivals being funded by Fáilte Ireland under its National Programme for Festivals and Events includes:

As well as attracting visitors, festivals are important in terms of generating employment and community engagement. The objective of Fáilte Ireland’s 2016 National Festivals Programme is to drive growth from key overseas markets through compelling experiences that are attractive to our target audiences and to generate additional overseas visitors across the country and across the calendar year.

Shaun Quinn, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, stressed the importance of festivals for Ireland and the tourism sector: “While recent tourism performance from overseas markets has been encouraging, we are determined to build on this momentum to drive and sustain economic growth. Ensuring that Ireland is offering compelling reasons for overseas visitors to choose Ireland, our festivals offering plays an important role in achieving this and guarantees that we have a full menu of things to see and do for tourists. 

“The Festivals we are supporting today will provide the backbone to this year’s tourism event calendar and add to our ability to grow overseas visitors and revenue.”

Find out more about Fáilte Ireland’s National Festival Programme here.

Note for editors

Fáilte Ireland

Fáilte Ireland, the national tourism development authority, was established in 2003 to guide and promote tourism as a leading indigenous component of the Irish economy.

The tourism and hospitality industry employs an estimated 205,000 people and generates over €6 billion in revenue a year.   

2016 Festivals

Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show

First held in 1864, the Horse Show has become a Dublin institution. A celebration of Ireland's affinity with the horse, from the best show horses to the best international show jumpers. It is one of Ireland's largest events, a highlight of the summer, each year welcoming tens of thousands of people from Ireland and all over the world. The show continues to play host to the top international show jumping leagues such as the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup. The show jumping is complemented with a wide variety of attractions and events including the excitement of Ladies Day.

Wexford Festival Opera

Running since 1951, Wexford Festival Opera has an international reputation for excellence with a superb national and international reputation. Its unique focus is the production of rarely performed and neglected opera performed by the best emerging international talent. The programme includes the headline operas in the stunning Wexford Opera House along with a shortworks programme and lunchtime recitals.

Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann

Taking place in Ennis in 2016, Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann is the biggest traditional music festival in Ireland, promoting Irish culture and heritage both at home and abroad. It incorporates Scoil Eigse, the traditional music learning summer school and the music and dancing competitions attract competitors from all over the world to these finals.

Tradfest

Dublin city based traditional festival of headline concerts, gigs and sessions. Showcase for Irish, Folk and Celtic Music. Takes place in Temple Bar using a mix of intimate venues.  The 2016 programme features events inspired by 2016, folk galas, gigs from established and emerging artists, a wide range of fringe events and a music trail.

Cork International Choral Festival

Choirs and music lovers from across the world come for a programme of Gala concerts, Schools Concerts, National and International Competitions, and world-class performances, as thousands of participants bring the city to life for a celebration of choral music in its many forms.

West Cork Chamber Music Festival and West Cork Literary Festival

West Cork Chamber Music Festival

In its 21^st year WCCM has a well-established reputation for varied programming, world-class musicians based in the attractive maritime location of Bantry using atmospheric venues. It provides a rare chance to participate in morning talks with leading international musicians, hour long lunchtime concerts and is the only violin and bow making exhibition in Ireland.

http://www.westcorkmusic.ie/chambermusicfestival/

West Cork Literary Festival

Bringing the best of Irish and international literature to West Cork while nurturing the next generation of writers through an accessible programme of 5 day workshops attracting participants from US, UK and Australia. It’s location on the WAW inspires the Bantry Bay series part of the programme.

Sea Sessions

A festival combining surfing and music taking place on Bundoran beach. Sea Sessions offers a platform for surf culture, music, arts and sports. The surf competition is the only contest in Ireland sanctioned by the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals). The programme includes participative elements such as beach Olympics, cliff diving, horse riding, tag rugby and beach volleyball. Live music acts include emerging national and international names.

Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival

A festival honouring the late and legendary blues guitarist Rory Gallagher who was born in Ballyshannon. Established in 2002 the festival runs over four days. The programme includes Rock 'n Blues Music with Open Air Street Gigs, Workshops, Exhibitions, Theatre Concerts and Pub sessions.

Earagail Arts Festival

Earagail takes place across the north of county Donegal. The programme combines arts and outdoor, history and local folklore. In 2016 the festival will continue to develop the folk and traditional hub of the festival through headline concerts, music trails, workshops and residential programmes.

Ireland BikeFest Killarney

An established international festival for motorcycle owners, enthusiasts and anyone with an interest in motorbikes.  This is an open and free event centred around a Bike Village which acts as the main hub of activity throughout the weekend featuring custom bike show, food and entertainment. Highlights include daily ride outs around coastal touring routes including the Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry.

Bloomsday Festival

The Bloomsday Festival celebrates the day upon which James Joyce’s Ulysses is set, June 16, and seeks to raise awareness of Joyce and Irish literature. Events take place around Dublin city centre for the duration of the festival including on-street party and brunch, street theatre, talks, readings and walking tours.  Bloomsday encourages participants to attend in the dress of the Edwardian era to add to the feel and historical tone of the festival.

Laya Healthcare City Spectacular

This festival is built around free events in two cities -Merrion Square, Dublin and Fitzgerald Park, Cork. Free for everyone, the festival entertains people with a host of world class street performers including fire eaters, contortionists, acrobats and sword swallowers joining musicians, artists and singers along with plenty of other family friendly activities.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin Half Marathon

A three day running festival, allowing participants to compete in multiple race distances. Held over a weekend, events will include a Health & Fitness Expo, 5k run, 10k run, half marathon and a 4k fun-run.  Part of the Rock n Roll Marathon Series, other cities in the series include Madrid, Liverpool, Lisbon, Chicago, San Francisco and New York.

Galway Film Fleadh

The Galway Film Fleadh is a six day international film event welcoming a diversity of filmmaking from around the world. The Fleadh attracts directors, actors, cinematographers and artists to an intimate environment to share the wonder of cinema. Running alongside the festival is the Galway Film Fair, Ireland’s only film and television market which fosters co-production on a European and international level, through the provision one-to-one meetings as well as a one day film conference, masterclasses, seminars and debates.

Writers’ Week

Writers’ Week in Listowel is an intimate literary festival offering a platform for both emerging and established authors to present their work.   The core of the festival is a series of literary workshops running over three days which are directed by experienced authors/teachers and cover a range of genres such as creative writing, journalism, memoir, crime, fiction and poetry. The festival also features readings, book launches, exhibitions and more.

Waterford Spraoi

Waterford Spraoi is a free urban festival staged in Ireland’s oldest city. For three days the city showcases a variety of street art and spectacle, featuring hundreds of performers, live music and an array of new street theatre both Irish and international.

Audi Dublin International Film Festival

A film festival taking place over 11 days, DIFF seeks to celebrate film as an art form by presenting the highest standard of Irish and International cinema. The programme includes premieres, screenings, events, discussions, interviews, exhibitions and concerts at a number of locations across Dublin. In recent years guests at the festival have included Al Pacino, Danny DeVito, Russell Crowe and Julie Andrews.

Tattersalls International Horse Trials and Country Fair

International equestrian competition showcasing eventing (dressage, cross country and show jumping).   The non-competition aspects of the event take the form of a country fair which showcases local food and craft producers. Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with multiple activities which  appeal to both families and equestrian enthusiasts alike.

Donegal International Motor Rally

A tarmac motor rally featuring routes in Donegal County taking in 300km of road.

The rally is made up of 20 stages– the fastest driver and navigator win. The time from all the stages, which vary in character and length, is combined and the competing pair with the fastest time wins. A combination of inland and coastal routes are used. The event is placed mid-season in the International Rally Championship season.

Challenge Galway

Challenge Galway is one of the Challenge branded triathlon race series. 2016 is the first year it will take place in Ireland. A long distance triathlon, the course comprises of a 3.8km swim in Rinville Bay, 180km bike ride taking in Oranmore, Clarinbridge, the Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Doolin and Kinvara, 42km run around a number of loops ending in Galway City at the athlete village in the Docks.

http://www.challenge-galway.eu

Cúirt International Festival of Literature

Cúirt literary festival is held annually in Galway and has been running since 1985. In 2016 the festival will feature writers from Canada, America and the UK along with Irish writers. The Programme features readings, workshops, talks, labs as well as exhibitions and other events and features both established and new writers.

European & World DTL Championship

Down-the-line (DTL) is a popular type of clay pigeon shooting. DTL is a day clay target shooting discipline which is popular in the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Sweden and USA. Clay target shooting is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. The Championships take place in Esker shooting grounds which are located on Bog of Allen.