Galway set for €10m bonanza after winning back SeaFest event

The city is set for an early season bonanza of an estimated €10 million for the next two years, with the return of SeaFest following record-breaking crowds on its inaugural staging in the West.

Some 60,000 people descended on the city the last weekend in June for the national marine festival for a host of free family-friendly events at the Docks and an international conference at NUIG.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed confirmed this week that the Marine Coordination Group, an interdepartmental body in charge of the event, had agreed to keep the festival in Galway until 2018 to “build on the local commitment to it”.

It had previously been staged in Dublin Castle, where there were no public events; and then in Cork, where it had attracted 10,000 spectators.

“In particular the huge response by the Irish people to the public events at SeaFest with a record breaking 60,000 people attending on Saturday and Sunday was a great testament to the high level of interest amongst the Irish public in all aspects of the marine,” said Minister Creed.

Festival Chairman John Killeen, who is Chair of the Marine Institute in Oranmore, said its twin location in the city centre as well as Galway’s experience in hosting largescale events at the Docks had ensured SeaFest was a massive success.

They now have plans to attract in the region of 100,000 spectators next year. The 2016 event was worth up to €6m to the city, with all beds within the city booked out, forcing some visitors to seek accommodation as far away as Athenry and even Athlone.

If numbers increased to that degree, it could be worth in the region of €10m to the city, making it one of the most valuable events during the packed festival calendar.

For more on Galway City winning back SeaFest for 2017 and 2018, see this week’s Galway City Tribune