The Galway Community Pride Festival, the Galway Hooker Sailing Club and the city’s Indian Cultural Community association were the big winners when local authority grants for parties and events were announced this week.
The Galway City Council awarded €15,000 to 26 organisations across the city as part of its Local Community Festival Grant Scheme for 2024.
Pride was awarded the largest individual grant of €2,000, followed by a grant of €1,500 for the Thiruvonam Festival celebrated by Galway’s Indian community. Galway Hooker Sailing Club was awarded €1,000 for the 2024 Galway Docklands Festival.
A total of almost €95,000 in grant funding was applied for by 35 organisations, with most successful applicants receiving awards of around €500 or less.
Applicant community organisations were assessed on scored criteria based on community engagement, organisational capacity, track record, quality of event programme, and quality and relevance of information supplied in relation to the proposed event’s ethos. The community festival grant has been awarded annually since 2014.
Other successful events were Ballybane Community Garden Festival (€600 ) and Ballybane Sports Family Day (€600 ); Clifton Park residents’ Midsummer Gathering (€350 ); Devon Park residents’ summer party (€350 ); Galway Afro Fest (€500 ); Galway City Women’s Shed (€600 ); Galway Civic Trust’s 30th anniversary (€400 ); Galway Skate Fest (€250 ); Galway Stronger Together’s National Independence Day (€250 ); the Kids Christmas Party for the Learn Polish Company (€250 ); Liosmor residents’ summer barbecue (€200 ); Lower Salthill Family Fun Day (€400 ); Merlin Neighbourhood Family Fun and Sports Day (€600 ); Merlin Woods Sports Community Family Day (€500 ); Moyola Park Street Feast (€200 ); Rackets For All Open Day (€500 ); Shantalla Harvest Festival (€500 ); Sliabh Rua Fun Day (€500 ); St Nicholas’ Church medieval summer fête (€650 ); Tirellan Christmas lunch (€700 ); Ukranian Cultural Fest (€600 ); and the Wellpark Grove Community Party (€300 ).
