Christmas market organisers plan to avoid damage to park

The operators of Galway’s Continental Christmas Market have a plan in place to avoid a repeat of the “significant damage” caused to Kennedy Park, Eyre Square, last year.

Milestone Inventive – the events company which runs the market on behalf of the City Council and the Galway City Business Association – has blamed the extreme weather conditions last year and an absence of drainage for the damage.

In excess of 400,000 people are expected to visit this year’s market, which will be launched on Friday, November 21, and run until December 22. There will be around 65 concession units and exhibitors, as well as amusements, bier keller, glühwein bar and Bavarian Windmill House.

The organisers say the event will be worth around €16 million to the local economy, based on revenues in recent years.

An event licence application for 32 days has been jointly lodged by the City Council and GCBA at City Hall – members of the public can make submissions on the play until October 31.

“It is acknowledged that significant damage was caused to the grass in 2013 due to the extreme weather conditions and absence of drainage.

“The continuity of bad weather and in particular rainfall, meant that works to repair the damage could not commence until mid-March. Every possible effort will be made to avoid a re-occurrence of this situation,” the application reads.

They have said they will avoid areas where water pools most frequently, while the City Council is carrying out drainage works.

Fertilisers will be applied to the grass areas prior to the construction of the market, and track mats will be put in place, while a new type of grass covering has been sourced “with better long-term protection properties”.

Under the terms of the licence – if approved – the organisers have until January 16 next to make good any damage to Eyre Square or Kennedy Park.

The market will be open Monday to Wednesday from midday to 8pm (bars open until 9pm) and from 10am to 10pm on Thursdays to Sundays.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Sentinel