Film Fleadh boss says “Stuff your Money”

Date Published: 17-Jul-2007

THE Managing Director of Galway Film Fleadh Miriam Allen, has accused Fáilte Ireland of showing disrespect towards the festival, following what she calls “a derisory offer” of support for this year’s event.

Ms Allen insists that the tourism body “hasn’t a clue” about the work that the Fleadh does to promote Galway and the Irish film industry.

The Fleadh applied for €25,000 funding from Fáilte Ireland for the event, which is recognised as one Ireland’s leading film festivals.

Instead, they were offered €3,000 on the grounds that “cinema was ‘a niche market’,” according to Ms Allen — who is so angry with the tourism body that she has told them to “stuff their money”.

The Fleadh, which finished on Sunday, attracted upwards of 10,000 people to town, including some of
cinema’s leading lights.