Minister Canney welcomes funding for Athenry Walled Town Day and cultural events across Galway
Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed funding of €37,500 for Galway County Council under the Culture Programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The allocation will support a range of cultural projects across the county, including Athenry Walled Town Day, celebrating the town’s rich heritage and its shared links with Europe.
Other elements of the programme within the Galway County Council allocation include a youth-focused Irish-language initiative led by Scoil an Phiarsaigh, an international cultural exchange through Interface’s contemporary art presentation, and Féile na gCloch on Inis Oírr, which will host an international stone-craft exchange.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister Canney said: “This is a really positive investment for Galway, and it’s great to see events like Athenry Walled Town Day included. It’s a fantastic occasion that brings the community together and showcases the history and character of the area.
“There’s also a great mix of projects right across the county and that’s what makes this funding so valuable. It gives people a real chance to connect with both their own local culture and wider European traditions.”
In addition, Galway City Council has been allocated €29,500 and will lead a programme of cultural activity during the Presidency, including hosting a meeting of the Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Economic Policy, providing an opportunity to showcase Galway and Irish culture on a European stage.
Minister Canney added: “I’m also looking forward to playing my part at Government level and leading out on the transport portfolio during Ireland’s Presidency.”
The funding is part of a €1.1 million national programme to support cultural events in every local authority area during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.