Connemara Pony Show and Clifden Trad Festival among 342 Galway groups given funding under support scheme
Over 300 community groups will receive funding from Galway County Council under the Community Support Schemes approved this month.
A total of €424,182 has been allocated from the local authority to support events and community development projects throughout the county, with an additional focus on the environment and sport.
The council budget originally had nearly €2,500 more set aside for these allocations however, environmental developments and Irish language activities faced a funding cut.
Events like the Connemara Pony Show, Shearfest in Ballinasloe, and the Shoreline Arts festival in Loughrea will receive a portion of the €69,250 for tourism, festivals, and events.
A specific €18,000 has been ring-fenced for Fáilte Ireland’s Regional Festival scheme, which will help fund festivals like the Clifden Traditional Music Festival and the Galway Comedy Festival.
A further 82 festivals around the county will receive €400 to €2,300.
Arts and heritage focused cultural development events have €115,000 available for 54 art projects and programmes.
In addition, 14 small-scale proposals to promote interactions with the Irish language are also receiving allocations. These include bilingual 5K/10Ks, conversation circles, storytelling, and interactions with the Irish language at cultural festivals.
For the first time, environmental allocations have been included in the scheme. They are aimed for burial ground improvement works and litter management assistance with Tidy Town Teams.
This will also tie into community development projects which will see upgrades to seasonal Christmas lights, playground repairs, public lighting, and outdoor public amenity improvements throughout the county.
Sport has been re-introduced into the scheme after years of absence with small €1,000 grants available for 66 local clubs and sports groups.
With a high level of interest, over 300 applications were ultimately approved for funding under this scheme that prioritise “meaningful community involvement, adherence to good heritage practice, and a commitment to building sustainable, long-term impact,” according to Michael Owens, Galway County Council Director of Services.
“The schemes provide really practical support to community groups and amenities that are active at a grassroots level or who are looking to become more active in their local area. The funding is about giving a helping hand to our local groups and clubs, which are the lifeblood of our communities. These grants will go a long way in helping hundreds of great community organisations and clubs the length and breadth of the county,” he added.