Croí na hÉireann the big winner under festival funding scheme

Athlone's annual five-day festival in honour of St Patrick – Croí na hÉireann – was the recipient of the largest individual sum in the first round of festival and grants funding announced by the Athlone Moate Municipal District last week.

A total of €55,250 was awarded to 18 local festivals and events which fulfilled the eligibility criteria for funding under the grants scheme, with the Croi na hÉireann festival receiving €13,000. This was an increase of €1,000 on the 2024 allocation, although the group had sought a grant of €15,200 towards the cost of running this year's festival.

Funding under round one of the festival and event grants scheme was awarded at the April meeting of the local municipal district, with the second biggest allocation of funding - €10,000 – going to the RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival.

Funding of €8,000 was awarded to the Athlone River Festival for their three-day event which includes art and culture, family fun, food and crafts market, fishing competitions and a range of other activities on land and water. The festival committee had applied for €20,000 in funding, having received €8,000 last year.

Athlone Agricultural Show received €5,000 of the €6,000 they sought towards the cost of their annual one-day show. This was the same figure they had received last year.

€3,500 was awarded to Kilbeggan Races for the Belvedere House and Gardens sponsored races at Kilbeggan Racecourse, while Moate Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann received €3,000 towards the cost of staging a three-day event in Moate, Fleadh Iarmhí 2025.

A grant of €2,500 was awarded to the Athlone Bike Fest Group for the staging of Athlone Bike Fest which was described as “harnessing the attributes of Athlone; its central location and great infrastructure” and including a wide range of activities over a three-day run.

Another three-day event which includes a World Cup, was awarded €2,000 in grant funding.

The event, the Lough Ree International Pike Festival and World Cup, is due to take place from April 30 to May 2 next, and will see 100 boats and over 210 anglers travelling from all over Ireland, the UK and Europe to take part.

Moate St Patrick's Day Parade received €1,500 last year and had sought an allocation of €5,000 this year. However, they were only awarded a modest increase of €250 on the sum they were allocated in 2024.

Four grants of €1,000 each went to Athlone Sub Aqua Club for their search and rescue training exercise; the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association Westmeath/Offaly Branch for their branch show; Connaught Street Traders and Environs Community Group for the on-street staging of a play by historian, Gearóid O'Brien called 'The Best Street in Town' in Dooley's Carpark and the Goldsmith Festival Committee towards the staging of their 41st annual Goldsmith Festival.

The latter group had sought a grant of €4,000 for this year, but there was no change in their allocation from last year.

A further five groups in the region received allocations of €500 each, among them being the Blackberry Lane Development group for the staging of a Traveller Pride event which was described as “a celebration of Travellers, capturing the colourful and unique culture and helping to build relationships between Travellers and settled people.”

The other four groups to receive €500 were Moate Town Team for the Moate Trad Fest; Loughnavalley Tidy Towns for the staging of their St. Patrick's Day Parade; Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park for their annual Egg Hunt and Family Day and Féile Ceoil na Scoileanna, Áth Luain for a children's festival of music, bands, dance and creativity.

Last week's meeting heard that four groups which had applied for funding were deemed to be ineligible. Among them was the Ballinahown Big Breakfast, which is organised on an annual basis by the Parents Association of Ballinahown National School.

The council's Director of Services, Jackie Finney, who also chairs the grants scheme evaluation committee, told last week's meeting that the Ballinahown event was deemed ineligible due to the fact that it is “a local fundraiser”.

Also turned down for funding was a community open day organised to raise funds for Garrycastle GAA Club, which has sought a grant of €5,000.

The reason for refusing grant aid was the fact that it is deemed to be a “local celebratory event.”

A bid by the Dancezone Stage School in Moate to receive grant aid of €500 towards the running costs of staging a show to celebrate their 30th annual production was also turned down due to it being “a local commemorative event” while Athlone Community Radio was also given the thumbs down for an outside broadcast of an arts event called 'Celebrate the Arts!' due to their not being “the main event organiser.” The local community radio station had sought a grant of €2,270 towards the cost of hosting the outside broadcast.

Members of the South Westmeath Ukrainian Representatives Group had sought funding of €3,000 from Westmeath County Council's festival and events grant scheme to host an Easter Festival. However, the application was subsequently withdrawn with the group now hoping to stage the event in 2026.

A letter circulated to members of the Athlone Moate Municipal District said the purpose of the festival and event grant scheme is to “encourage and promote” local festivals and event that “generate increased economic and community activity, involve significant voluntary input and add to the Westmeath calendar of events each year. “

The municipal district gives out grants for festivals and events in two separate tranches each year.