Bookings already in for next year as new home a success

Date Published: 29-Sep-2009

THE city’s last big festival of the year ended with a suitably maritime-themed celebration of the humble mollusc and a return of sorts to its original home.

Organisers have given the Radisson Blu a thumbs up for hosting the Friday night mardi gras party, the world oyster opening championship on Saturday and the wind down in the Live Lounge on Sunday afternoon.

Previously all three events have been held in a specially erected marquee in the Claddagh since 1984 but due to the €150,000 cost of erecting the tent and concerns that tickets sales would be affected by the downturn, the committee decided to move to a hotel in a bid to keep tickets prices down.

The Saturday night ball then had to be moved from the ballroom in the Radisson, because of the pressure of time in getting the venue ready after the oyster championships.

It was instead held in the Meyrick Hotel, formerly the Great Southern, which was where the ball was held for much of its 55-year history.

Indeed it was the manager of the Great Southern who cameup with the idea of staging the festival to draw people to the City of the Tribes at the end of September, which was a traditionally a quiet time in the tourist calendar.

The move to the Meyrick meant that ticket numbers were cut from 700 to 330. These tickets could have sold twice over but the smaller venue ensured a full house and a lively atmosphere.

Festival administrator Ann Flanagan said people gave very good feedback on the new venues because many of them were staying in the hotels anyway.

“We found the…