'Visit Mayo' the message to 100,000 visitors at the Milwaukee Irish Festival

Mayo artists take over the Aer Lingus main stage at the Milwaukee Irish Fest

placeholder image — Mayo artists take over the Aer Lingus main stage at the Milwaukee Irish Fest

Eileen Ivers, Lisa Canny, Boxing Banjo, Enda Reilly and The Glencastle Dancers entertained thousands at the Milwaukee Irish Festival last week

Mayo was well represented at the largest Irish Festival in the world last weekend, when the Milwaukee Irish Festival saw over 100,000 guests descend on Henry W Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

A delegation from Mayo County Council led by Cathaoirleach Cllr Michael Loftus, Cllr Damien Ryan and Cllr Michael Burke attended to promote tourism and investment in Mayo.

Cllr Loftus spoke about the importance of the trip, saying: “Selling Mayo as a tourism and investment location is one of the most important things we do as councillors. The Milwaukee Irish Fest is the largest festival of its kind in the world, and it allowed us to not only promote Mayo as a tourist destination to over 100,000 people, it let us to make valuable connections with our diaspora in the USA to spread the word that Mayo is open and waiting for them to come.”

Mayo County Council had a stand where they engaged in the promotion of Mayo located in the Irish destinations area of the

festival. There were many visitors, but the Mayo diaspora were out in force and the Irish Destinations areas was a sea of green and red for much of the weekend.

Also part of the Mayo County Council delegation were Mags Connell, Administrative Officer, Mayo Communications Department and Eleanor Hussey from the Local Enterprise Office who represented Mayo County Council for the duration of the festival promoting Mayo and all that it has to offer.

Mayo was well represented on the music stages, with five artists and groups headlining over the weekend, with world champion fiddle player Eileen Ivers, Lisa Canny and her band, Boxing Banjo, Enda Reilly and The Glencastle Dancers all putting on stunning sets.

The full complement of Mayo artists came together on the Aer Lingus main stage on the Saturday evening of the festival for a rousing rendition of the 'Green and Red of Mayo' in front of a jam-packed crowd.