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Accommodation And Central Location Lured National Festival To Tullamore

Thursday, 26 January 2012

TULLAMORE'S central location and abundance of accommodation facilities were the central factors in the decision to relocate a major national festival to the county town.
The 11th annual Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival will take place from Thursday, September 20 to Sunday, September 23 and is expected to provide a €1 million boost to the local economy.
Local publican Paul Bell explained that the festival's organisers had visited the town during the staging of the Fleadh Cheoil and were very impressed with the range of accommodation on offer.
'The availability of camping facilities played a big role in the decision as that market plays a big role in this festival,' explained Mr Bell.
He continued: 'The festival had been based in Longford for ten years and the organisers felt that it needed a lift.'
'It's a ready made festival with top quality musicians that attracts a national and international audience,' said the Brewery Tap proprietor.
A local committee will be established in the coming weeks to liaise with the organisers of the festival.
Over the coming weeks details of this year's line-up of musicians will be revealed on the official festival website said organisers Kathy Casey and Chris Keenan.
The festival was established in Longford in 2002 following the death of legendary banjo player Johnny Keenan.
In the ten years that followed, some of the biggest names in bluegrass, Irish traditional and folk music played in Longford including Steve Earle, Gerry O'Connor, Guy Clark, Peter Rowan, Tony Trischka, Altan, Rodney Crowell, Iris DeMent, Thom Moore and Earl Scruggs.
The decision has been greeted with dismay in Longford where local newspaper reports described it as a major blow to the town and the surrounds. The event, in its ten-year history, generated several millions for the local economy.
An official statement from the festival organisers stated: "It is with regret that the festival can no longer be financially sustained within the town," said the statement from the organising committee of the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival.
'The move marks the end of a decade of national/international music and visitors from all over the world to Longford each September. We hope that the people of Longford have enjoyed the festival as much as we have enjoyed sharing it with them,' the statement added.
The organisers concluded: 'The organising committee wish to express their gratitude to the local businesses and concert-goers who supported the festival throughout the years, without which the festival could never have taken place nor have lasted for so many years.
Meanwhile, Paul Bell said he hoped many of those who attended the Fleadh Cheoil in Tullamore in the period 2007 - 2009 would revisit the Offaly capital for the festival.
He added that the decision provided a much needed boost to hard-pressed vintners sector who had seen a major drop off in customer numbers over the past few years.
'Our industry is much more event oriented now and people will come out if there's a festival or match taking place.'
Cllr Brendan Killeavy described the decision 'as great news and exactly what's needed in town. The festival will have the potential to inject €1 million into our local economy which is great news for local business and local people. Tullamore had no festival last year which I thought was a mistake; we have great potential in the town to develop a major annual festival that could put Tullamore firmly on the map for visitors and to show that the town is alive and kicking.'
He continued: 'At this month's Town Council meeting, I made a proposal that €5,000 be allocated for the kick start of a town festival. Unfortunately the proposal was only supported by four of the nine councillors and was defeated.';
'The Government is proposing that 2013 will be the year of the welcome or the global Irish homecoming, with yearlong festivals and promotions for tourist and the Irish diaspora around the world. The aim is to encourage the Irish diaspora back home for a holiday which will give a cash injection to the economy, this initiative is expected to bring an extra 350,000 Irish people back home, it is a proposal that I fully support.'
He continued: 'My fear is that most major towns around the country have already started to plan for this and that Tullamore could be left behind. Now is the time for planning a major festival for 2013 and to invite all our friends and family who left the area over the last few decades and emigrated abroad to come home for a week or two to see their friends, families and their town again and of course make sure they have a good time while they are here.'
'With the right marketing campaign and a buy in from the people, business people, our councils and other interested parties we can try and turn things around in our town and county and make this a success.'

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