Cork anger at lack of festival funding

Cork’s city manager has criticised Fáilte Ireland over its lack of funding for St Patrick’s Day festivals outside the capital.

Tim Lucey was speaking during a city council debate on the standard of the city’s St Patrick’s Day.

Several councillors said they wanted to see more colour, more marching bands and music, and a return of the traditional floats.

Cllr Denis O’Flynn (Lab) said the council dishes out thousands of euro in funding to several bands around the city every year.

“It should be a condition of funding that bands must march in the parade,” he said.

Mr Lucey praised parade organisers and local sponsors, but said if more funding was available nationally, then more could be done with the actual parade itself.

“I would call on Fáilte Ireland to fund not just the Dublin parade, but others,” he said.

“Fáilte Ireland needs to look outside the capital. Cork is the second city and we are doing more than others to promote festivals.

“These festivals give a significant economic return to the country.”

Fáilte Ireland said it can only fund one national St Patrick’s Day Festival from its national festival fund, and that festival and parade takes place in Dublin.

A spokesman hinted that if Cork can present a strong business case, funding could be made available in future.

“There is some potential there around the parade,” he said.

The key to securing funding is a demonstration of how many international visitors the city’s parade and festival can attract — proven by figures on hotel bed nights.

“Cork would have to make a strong business case for the parade, built around international visitor numbers,” he said.

“I wouldn’t say the door would be shut to funding, but it would want to make a good business case.

“We have to get some leverage and the return we look for is bed nights.”

The spokesman also pointed out that Fáilte Ireland contributes substantial funding to major festivals in Cork city and county every year.

This year alone, it is providing funding to the jazz festival, €100,000 towards the Titanic centenary celebrations, the Cork Midsummer festival, the Cork International Choral festival, and the Kinsale Arts Festival.