Dalriada Festival gets £45k grant

Councillors approved a community grant application for the event at their monthly meeting last Monday night in Ballymena on the proposal of Alderman Geraldine Mulvenna, seconded by Councillor Gordon Lyons.

Councillor Tommy Nicholl welcomed its approval, pointing out that the Dalriada Festival “is an international event that attracts thousands every year”.

The P&O Ferries Dalriada Festival will be held this year in Glenarm from July 18-24.

Following a record crowd last year, the main event of the festival, the Glenarm Castle Highland Games, is back on Saturday amd Sunday, July 18 and 19, and this year the County Antrim Pipe Band Championships will also be included in the event.

Prior to approving the grant, councillors were informed by a Council officer that the total cost of the Dalriada Festival this year is £186,545 of which £45k had been requested.

They were also told that the application had been submitted to the international events category which allowed for a grant of 25% of the cost an event up to a total of £75,000.

It was also pointed out that the event had demonstrated being of benefit to the community, bringing some 7,000 bed nights to the area.