Galway City Council has committed itself to finding €15,000 in its budget to help Macnas celebrate its 30th birthday with a parade at the end of the month.
Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath, has tasked Senior Executive Officer, Gary McMahon, with sourcing the funding from its very tight coffers.
“This is a hugely significant cultural event, and has become so since the first parade came down the town in 1986,” Mr McMahon told councillors at this week’s Council meeting.
“This year, Macnas proposes to celebrate 30 years with a parade and celebration. The City Council has been the most significant supporter of Macnas, both in financial and practical terms, often being the co-sponsor of the parade.
“As you know, it may be a free event to spectators, but costs in the region of €120,000 to put on. We gave grant aid funding of €24,000, and a further €15,000 from the marketing fund this year, and it is recommended that the City Council provide additional support of at least €15,000 towards this year’s parade.”
Cllr Billy Cameron (Lab), who proposed the motion, described Macnas as an iconic brand, along with Druid, and the Galway International Arts Festival.
“This is one of the positive aspects of the arts in Galway, it’s the largest single free event in the West of Ireland,” he said.
“It is socially inclusive, with grandparents, parents, and grandchildren, on account of it being free. It extends the tourist season, but the 300 volunteers all have to be clothed and choreographed – for this reason alone I’d be supportive of €15,000 extra.”
Cllr Padraig Conneely (FG) considered Ollie Jennings and Padraic Breathnach so significant in creating Galway’s cultural wealth that they should be immortalised as statues.
“This would be a poorer place without them,” he said.
Cllr Cathal Ó Conchúir (SF) recognised the value that Macnas bring by involving school children from around the city, with personal experience of the joy experienced by Transition Year students in Coláiste Íognaid.
Cllr Donal Lyons (Ind) said that many other towns and cities were jealous of Macnas’ work in Galway; and Cllr Declan McDonnell (Ind) said that they had helped portray the city as a hub of culture even before the 2020 European Capital of Culture bid began.
Newly co-opted councillor, Mark Lohan (SF), said that Macnas means ‘joyful abandonment’, and that any subsidy put in by the Council would be returned a hundred times over.
Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) said that last year’s Macnas parade brought thousands of people onto the streets, which spilled into the restaurants and pubs afterwards.
Cllr Niall McNeilis (Lab) acknowledged the support that local businesses give to Macnas, noting that the health and safety costs alone ran to €40,000.