Funding boost announced for Kilkenny festivals

Three Kilkenny festivals will receive a total of €345,000 in funding as part of the Strategic Festival Tourism Portfolio.

The funding was announced this morning by Minister Peter Burke and provides funding for 38 festivals across the country over the coming three years.

Welcoming the news, Deputy Callaghan said:

“I was delighted to learn from my colleague, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke that Savour Kilkenny, Kilkenny Arts Festival and Kilkenny Animated will benefit from Fáilte Ireland funding, totalling €345,000.  Even better is that this funding will be an annual grant this year and for the next two years, allowing the profile of the festival to be built and grown over the coming period, providing key support to the local economy and cementing the festival into the calendar of key annual events.

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Deputy Callaghan continued:

“This government investment in authentic, local tourism will attract both local and international visitors to X to stay overnight and enjoy what we have to offer, with a focus on festivals held outside the summer season when the sector is usually quieter.

Welcoming the announcement, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said:

"The 38 funded festivals, a total investment of €3.9 million, will not only showcase Ireland’s rich culture and creativity but will also deliver real economic benefits for communities and our SMEs across the country. By attracting visitors from home and abroad, these events will help to strengthen local businesses, support the 210,000 tourism jobs in our economy and enhance the competitiveness of our destinations.

“I will shortly be launching our new Tourism Strategy, which will lay out the strategic direction of tourism and investment over the coming five years.  There will be a focus on balanced investment, ensuring that all areas of the country, in particular those that traditionally experience lower tourist numbers, are supported with government intervention and investment.  This will bolster our local economies and our many tourism SMEs, showcasing Ireland’s unique and authentic tourism offering to the world and providing economic benefit to local businesses”.