County Clare to be central feature in US Irish Fest
A tourism delegation from the county will attend the fest to showcase the county’s tourist attractions to over 150,000 festival goers during the four-day event.
The delegation is scheduled to meet with members of the Irish-American business community in Chicago ahead of the festival.
The Milwaukee Irish Fest, established in 1981 by members of Milwaukee’s Irish community, is renowned as the world’s largest Irish culture festival. Covering 74 acres of Lake Michigan’s shoreline the event showcases Irish music, history, dance, drama, sports and culture.
The festival, which runs from August 16-19, is also used by tourist agencies such as Fáilte Ireland and CIE. Mayor of Clare Cllr Patricia McCarthy said: “It is hugely significant that Co Clare is featuring prominently at this year’s festival as it emphasises the quality of the tourism product on offer here.
The introduction of Open Skies has raised concerns over whether the level of transatlantic business at the airport can be sustained. Clare County Council, along with other leading tourism development agencies in Ireland’s mid-west region, has decided to adopt a more proactive approach in a bid to maintain and build on such business by marketing the airport as a key gateway to the west of Ireland.”
Paddy Maher, PRO of the Clare Tourist Council, believes that the overseas promotion of Shannon is a key factor in maintaining the long-term viability of the airport.
He said: “It is unfortunate from the west of Ireland’s perspective that many potential American visitors are unaware that daily flights operate between the US and Shannon. Many tourists fly into Dublin Airport before realising that there is an international airport on the west coast.”
During the Milwaukee Irish Fest, the Clare tourism delegation will be located in the festival’s ‘Cultural Village’ where tens of thousands of promotional brochures on local tourist attractions will be distributed.
The Clare delegation will also stage two sessions of the Siege of Ennis during the Festival. It’s anticipated that various dance schools and teachers from Milwaukee and Chicago along with over 400 festival goers will participate in the sessions.
The travelling Clare delegation will be accompanied by a number of other local groups, including the Clare Crafts Association, the Ennis Players, the Clare Céilí Band and local artist Philip Brennan.
