Ten Offaly premises receive funding for night time entertainment

Ten Offaly premises have been successful in securing funding for a new support scheme for the night time economy

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, today announced the successful applicants of the €4million in funding to assist off-peak entertainment in our towns and cities. A total of 433 organisations have been offered funding from the Night-Time Economy Support Scheme.

Applications were received from a wide range of venues including pubs, nightclubs, cafés, theatres, arts centres, galleries, museums and retail outlets.

Well in excess of 2000 events in every county across the country, have been approved for funding, they include live music, ranging from traditional music to electronic music, DJ nights, theatre, comedy, dance, literature, art and photographic exhibitions.

The ten successful Offaly applicants are: The Bus Bar, The Chestnut, John Lee Bar and Venue, The Ramblers Rest, Birr Theatre and Arts Centre, Hugh Lynch's, Turning Pirate, Dooly's Hotel, Corrigan's Bar, Townsend House B&B

The scheme included a specific strand of funding for unlicensed premises such as cafés, dry bars and other suitable venues to support diversification and inclusivity in our Night-Time Economy. Cafés and unlicensed premises have been awarded over €434,000 in funding.

Venues in rural towns and villages were also supported and funding was awarded to 252 venues outside of our cities.

The fund has been an important source of employment for Artists and Performers across the country with thousands of employment days generated by this Scheme.