Calls to turn Culture Night into a full weekend in Donegal
Calls have been made for Culture Night to be expanded into a full weekend in Donegal, with councillors arguing the event has become too successful to squeeze into a single evening.
Letterkenny councillor Jimmy Kavanagh has asked Donegal County Council to write to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport seeking an extension of the annual celebration to a Culture Weekend.
If there is no appetite for a national change, he wants Donegal to consider trialling the idea itself.
Culture Night has been running since 2006 and has grown from a small-scale initiative in Temple Bar to almost 2,000 events nationwide.
In Letterkenny alone this year, 26 events took place on the one night.
Cllr Kavanagh told Tuesday's Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District meeting that the sheer number of events mean that many are missed.
“With so many events in one night, it is difficult for people to get to everything they want to see,” he said.
The geographical spread of the events also makes it difficult to enjoy the wide variety of activities on offer in a single night.
Cllr Kavanagh gave the example of Glenveagh Castle opening late for Culture Night 2026.
“An event in Glenveagh Castle is something many people would like to see, but attending an event there can mean missing the entire programme in Letterkenny," he said.
Cllr Kavanagh said spreading the programme would suit more people and families.
“Holding events over a weekend would give people more time to choose and attend the events that interest them,” he said.
“It would also allow for more daytime activities that families and children could attend.”
He said the current format can also be frustrating for the people who put considerable time and effort into organising events.
“Some events are poorly attended because people have to make choices, and that is unfair on the people who have put so much effort into organising them.”
Cllr Kavanagh believes a Culture Weekend could also bring an economic boost by encouraging visitors to stay longer in Donegal.
“It could help extend the summer season and encourage people to come and stay for a weekend.”
The MD's written response said Culture Night's national impact comes partly from concentrating activity across the country on a single night. It also warned that any extension would have staffing, funding and operational implications.
The Council said its current priority in Donegal is to widen the geographical reach of Culture Night so that more towns, villages, rural communities and islands can take part, as resources allow.
This year, events were held in Letterkenny, Glenveagh National Park, Buncrana, Ramelton, Castlefin, Donegal Town, Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Gaoth Dobhair, Rann na Feirste, Ardara and Gort a’Choirce, as well as on Árainn Mhór, Toraigh and Gabhla.
The Council said it works closely with Ealaíon na Gaeltachta to build on that spread of events.
It also confirmed that, if the motion is adopted, it will write to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport outlining the proposal.
However, because responsibility for the coordination and delivery of Culture Night transferred to the Arts Council in 2019, the proposal is likely to be referred there for consideration.
Cllr Kavanagh said those concerns only strengthened his argument.
“If anything, that is a good reason why we should extend it for the weekend,” he said.
“It would give us the chance to bring people into the county for a weekend and let them really embrace the culture.”
He added: “If they are not interested in doing it nationally, Donegal should look at trialling it ourselves on a private basis and seeking the funding to do that.”
Cllr Gerry McMonagle strongly backed the proposal.
“It would make sense to put it over a weekend.”
Cllr McMonagle referred to visitors from Rudolstadt in Germany, which is twinned with Letterkenny, who have experienced Culture Night during their visits.
“They enjoy seeing what is on, but there is just too much happening at the one time.”
He added: “Culture Night is a great concept, but its success has outgrown the one night.”
“I am sure a lot of towns and cities would agree with that.”
Cllr Kavanagh suggested the motion should now be circulated to other local authorities to see if there is wider support for the idea.
“There are probably a lot of towns, particularly bigger towns, that would feel the same way,” he said.
Director of Service Eamonn Browne said there was an advantage to Donegal remaining aligned with the national Culture Night programme because of the promotion that comes with it.
However, he acknowledged the strength of the case put forward by councillors.
“A compelling argument has been made that it has outgrown its current iteration.”
The Council agreed to write to the Department. It was also agreed that the motion would be circulated to other local authorities.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.