City prepares for massive influx

Date Published: 28-May-2009

THE city is gearing up for an influx of more than 100,000 visitors over the Bank Holiday weekend as the Volvo Ocean Race reaches its climax with in-port racing in the bay on what promises to be a sun-soaked weekend.
Hoteliers throughout the city and the county are expecting to line their pockets for the start of a bumper festival season as hordes of visitors from around the country and further afield flood into Galway to enjoy the carnival atmosphere down by the Docks.
The event got off to a flying start in the early hours of Sunday morning last, when after months of hype and preparation, the yachts finally sailed into Galway Bay to a reception that enveloped the crews in a rousing fusion of light, music and a spontaneous chorus of The Fields of Athenry.
Gardai estimate more than 7,000 people turned out for the arrival of the boats, while an even larger crowd thronged into the Race Village for the official opening ceremony on Sunday night, which was attended by An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen.
Altogether, it is estimated well in excess of 50,000 people have made their way to the Docks in recent days to look at the boats that have travelled 30,000 miles across the oceans of five continents to get to Galway.