Louth’s Irish Maritime Festival this week scooped the coveted “Fáilte Ireland Best Tourism Initiative” at the Local Government Management Awards. The announcement was made at a glittering award ceremony in Dublin on Saturday night.
The festival, now entering its fourth year, is hosted by Louth County Council and Drogheda Port Company. It brings together a host of sponsors, community groups, the arts and sporting organisations to stage a weekend spectacular on the River Boyne.
Speaking on behalf of the citizens of Drogheda Mayor Cllr. Paul Bell declared “I am thrilled for the Council staff and the Drogheda Port Company and the sponsors of the festival which has grown in stature over the past three years.”
The judges praised the leadership role of Louth County Council in planning and managing such a dynamic festival, which attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Speaking after the event, Mary T. Daly of Louth County Council explained “It is a source of huge pride for us that The Irish Maritime Festival has won the Fáilte Ireland award for Best Tourism Initiative. We beat off very stiff competition from all across the country. It truly is a team effort between the team at Louth County Council, our partners in Drogheda Port Company, all of our invaluable sponsors and our event management team of Karen H Events and WhiteLight Consulting. The Council and the entire team have made a deep commitment to this annual event as a means of supporting community spirit and driving tourism growth.”
Chief Executive Officer of Drogheda Port Company Paul Fleming continued “The River Boyne is such an iconic feature of the town. Staging an annual festival on the river is a great way of connecting local people and visitors with our maritime traditions. It is incredible to see 40,000+ visitors flocking to the Port each summer to enjoy the on and off shore activities. Plans are well underway for the 2016 festival and it promises to be bigger and better than ever.”
“Maxol is lead sponsor of the festival. Following the win Fergal Harrington, Group Brand Development Manager Maxol explained. “Maxol is a family business, 100% Irish owned and we are proud to support the development of Irish festivals and the economic boost they generate for the community. We are delighted to see The Irish Maritime Festival win this award and to be at the heart of this fantastic event.”
The award winning Irish Maritime Festival will take place from 8-10th July 2016 at Drogheda Port. For more information visit www.maritimefestival.ie or follow it on Facebook or Twitter.
