Galway’s festivals fall foul of fever

For just the second time in its 150-year history, the public will not be flocking to Ballybrit for the annual Galway Races in the biggest body blow yet of the pandemic to the local economy.

The Government advised local authorities that it should not grant licences for events to large scale events involving 5,000 people until after the end of August.

The statement issued on Tuesday could also sound the death knell for the Big Top gigs in the Galway International Arts Festival, which help fund much of the two-week programme in mid-July.

But it had seismic ramifications for the local economy in terms of the Races, held the last week of July and into early August, which are worth in the region of €54 million to the city and surrounding suburbs.

Racecourse manager Michael Maloney said their attention would now turn to the possibility of holding the event behind closed doors. He said estimates that closing the summer meeting to the public would cost the racing committee at least €3 million in lost revenue ‘are not going to be too far off’.

“The race committee has always been very prudent in how we manage things so we are hopeful to be in a good position to come back in 2021 when hopefully it will be safe to welcome everybody back to Ballybrit,” he told the Connacht Tribune.

The Irish Civil War in 1922 was the only time the Galway Races had to be called off since 1869. But Mr Maloney said he was optimistic the festival would be able to operate social distancing with just jockeys, groomers, officials and owners on site.

Read the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now or available with your home delivery. You can also purchase a digital edition through this website – or have the paper posted to your home at no extra charge to the cover price.