Larry Reynolds Festival, Ballinasloe, to receive €3,000 in funding

At the announcement of grant funding to the Larry Reynolds Festival from the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs, Billy Reynolds, Senator Maura Hopkins, Chairperson Claire Gibbons, Kathryn Gibbons, Mary Ann Feeney and Cllr. Aidan Donohue.

​Fine Gael Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Maura Hopkins has confirmed that she has secured €3,000 in funding for the Larry Reynolds festival which takes place in Ballinasloe from September 8-10 September 2017. 
 
Senator Hopkins stated, “This funding allocation is being made available from the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht. I have been working closely with the festival committee and Minister Heather Humphries over some time to ensure that this funding was made available to support the festival for this year.”
 
“The festival now in it’s fourth year has continued to go from strength to strength. The festival plays an important role in helping to celebrate Irish music, culture and heritage in Ballinasloe and the surrounding region.”
 
“The festival commemorates the life and work of the late Larry Reynolds who hailed from Ahascragh outside Ballinasloe and emigrated to Boston in the 1950’s. Larry became a renowned fiddle player and throughout his life made an important contribution to the Irish culture in Boston and across North America.”
 
“The hardworking committee work tirelessly each year to continue to run and develop the festival each year. This funding is vitally important to allow them to continue to grow the festival. It is their dedication which allows this celebration of our culture to continue year after year. The festival has grown to become an important event on the festival calendar in the region.”
 
Senator Hopkins concluded, “It is so important to keep alive the rich traditions of Irish heritage and culture which are loved worldwide. In recognising that, it is very important for our Government to continue to recognise the value of providing ongoing and adequate funding to keep these traditions alive.”