Galway Races boss voices concern at plan to ban drink sponsorship

Grave concerns were expressed this week about the devastating effect the proposed ban on alcohol sponsorship of sporting events could have on the Galway Races Summer Festival. 

Manager of Galway Racecourse, John Moloney, said he is, “very, very concerned” about the impact the proposed ban on alcohol sponsorship will have on the annual seven-day racing festival, the highlight of the tourism season in Galway.

His concerns are echoed by Government backbencher, Fine Gael Galway West TD Brian Walsh, who went further and said the withdrawal of alcohol sponsorship “could threaten the future of the Galway Races as a major international festival”.

Deputy Walsh said he would resist the plans drafted by Labour Party Junior Health Minister Alex White which would ban drinks companies from sponsoring large sports events by 2020 and prevent any new sponsorship deals from 2016.

The Galway Races is the highlight of the sporting and social calendar in Galway, and indeed the country, and generates a €60 million spin-off to the local economy.

Guinness, which is now owned by Diageo, sponsors two days at the Galway Summer Festival, which draws crowds of almost 150,000 last year.  Guinness has a 40 year association sponsoring the Guinness Galway Hurdle, which is the richest national hunt race in the country with €260,000 up for grabs for the winner.  It attracts entries from all of the top yards in Britain and Ireland and is one of the races that makes the festival so special and popular. 

The Guinness Hurdle is run on Ladies Day, which is now the busiest day of the festival (and the busiest in the country) attracting tens of thousands of enthusiastic racing and fashion fans. Guinness also sponsors all races on the Friday, including the feature race, the Guinness Handicap, with prize money of €100,000 for the winner.

“The withdrawal of alcohol sponsorship from the Galway Races would have a huge impact on the prize money fund, which will be about €1.5 million this year,” warned Mr Moloney. 

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.