Weekend's Thomond Park events set to give €15m boost to Mid-West

The Wolfe Tones will be playing twice — Friday and Sunday — while The Script will be performing their only 2025 Irish date on Saturday

The Script are only playing one Irish date this year.

The Mid-West region's economy is set for a €15m boost as Limerick prepares to play host to “high-profile” acts over the weekend.

Thomond Park’s stadium director, John Cantwell, said the figures are expected to surpass those brought by last year’s summer gigs.

The shows in 2024 by Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini, and Liam Gallagher brought a €13.5m boost to the local economy.

The Wolfe Tones will be playing twice — Friday and Sunday —while The Script will be performing their only 2025 Irish date on the Saturday.

Mr Cantwell said 29,000 concert-goers are expected to attend each day this weekend amid soaring temperatures.

“It'll be up on last year and what the results of the economic impact will be tremendous for the city, the county, and the Mid-West region," he said.

A view of the crowd for the Wolfe Tones at Electric Picnic last year.

“Those three concerts from last year delivered in the region of €13.5m, which is phenomenal. 

"Around €8.8m of this was direct expenditure from visitors coming to Limerick, so that's all brand new for Limerick. 

"It's fantastic to be able to say that. These concerts can't be taken for granted."

Mr Cantwell said it takes a “lot of hard work” to get promoters on board.

“There are lots of venues, stadiums, green fields, and it takes hard work and a lot of co-operation for the promoters to take the risk. People need to attend if we want to keep going.” 

Thwarted by lack of accommodation

Mr Cantwell said the main issue organisers face is the lack of accommodation in Limerick.

“That’s one thing that does hit us straight in the face. Prices (for accommodation) are expensive, there are not enough bedrooms, there's not enough development in Limerick,” he said.

He said if more people from Limerick and the surrounding regions attend, it would “really get those numbers up” and convince the promoters that playing in Limerick is “cost-effective”.

“The promoters, MCD, love Limerick, they love the people. The council are brilliant, all the local authorities are playing ball. 

It's just we need accommodation, and at the right price. Concerts are dear enough.

“We are trying to get people to come to big international acts locally and save them the expense of travelling to Dublin. We’re doing our very best to put Limerick on the map in a cost-effective way.”

As Liam Gallagher played in Limerick last year and following on from Oasis’ comeback, one could wonder if Thomond Park may have been on the cards.

“Well, it’s a pity, if we were bigger, we'd definitely be in the conversation,” he laughed.

“But we do our very best to bring acts, and we've been doing this since 2009.

"We started with Elton John, Rod Stewart, and we're proud to be able to say we've had Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Pink, and Ed Sheeran. Who else is gonna bring these things to Limerick?”