Drink ad ban may hit Galway festivals

A plan to ban advertising of alcohol in public places in Galway City, and to reduce alcohol marketing of major local events, could have serious financial ramifications for the city’s two flagship festivals, it has been warned.

Galway City Alcohol Forum is proposing that Galway City should become an “alcohol advertising free zone”, to help reduce alcohol-related problems. The forum, a sub-committee of Galway Healthy Cities Project, also wants to, “reduce alcohol related marketing linked to arts festivals, sporting events, in shops and on social media.”

The recommendations follow-on from a survey carried out by the sub-group, which tried to find out what are Galway people and organisations’ key concerns in relation to alcohol.

A former mayor, City Councillor Donal Lyons (Ind), cautioned that banning alcohol advertising and marketing will have a big impact on the city’s festivals. Cllr Lyons said there would have to be a ‘sea change’ in our attitudes to funding festivals.

“The Galway Races is one of the biggest festivals in Galway every year, and two of the main races on the Thursday and Friday are sponsored by Diageo (makers of Guinness). It is a fact that they have put such a huge investment in festivals and sport. They will need to find replacement sponsorship,” he warned.

As well as the Races, which is supported by Guinness, the Galway International Arts Festival also receives financial backing from big alcohol brands, including Heineken, which is listed as a principal funder and partner of the festival.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.