Rates should go up on multinational companies to pay for Ballina Fleadh bid – O’Hara

A BONNICONLON-based councillor has said that multinational companies in Mayo should pay higher rates to fund Ballina’s bid to host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2028.

Cllr John O’Hara told The Mayo News that large companies, including Lidl, Aldi, Coca-Cola, and those involved in wind energy and gas exploration, should pay higher commercial rates to Mayo County Council.

Cllr O’Hara made this suggestion following a meeting with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Director General Dr Labhras Ó’Murchú, who suggested that Mayo County Council increase commercial rates to pay for the cost of running the Fleadh.

A sum of €150,000 must be paid by the end of 2026 for Ballina to apply to host the competition.

The cost of running the world-renowned traditional music festival has been estimated at between €1.7 million and €2 million.

Ballina Chamber of Commerce CEO, Mags Downey Martin, and local county councillors opposed increasing rates on businesses when it was mentioned at a meeting of various stakeholders interested in Ballina’s bid for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

Mayo County Council expects to generate €44 million from commercial rates in 2024.

Cllr O’Hara said that some businesses ‘are getting it hard to survive or exist, never mind put the rates up on them’.

“Even if they have to put up the rates on the multinationals, they can well afford it,” the Fine Gael councillor told The Mayo News.

“They are not like the shops. I wouldn’t like to see it going out on the ordinary shops, they are getting it hard. It’s all the multinationals that’s making all the money around and they can well afford it.”

The value to local economies of staging the week-long festival has been estimated at €60 million.

An estimated 500,000 people travelled to Mullingar for last year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which Ballina previously hosted in 1996 and 1997.

Cllr O’Hara has tabled a motion for the March meeting of Mayo County Council asking the local authority to support Ballina’s bid to host the festival.

Celebrations

BALLINA successfully hosted the Connacht Fleadh last year, as well as other several events as part of the Ballina 2023 celebrations. This included the visit of US President Joe Biden, which drew an estimated crowd of over 25,000 to the North Mayo town.

Dr Labhrás Ó Murchú, who officially opened the Connacht Fleadh in the town last year, said Ballina ‘ticks all the boxes’ to host the All-Ireland Fleadh.

The chairpersons of Mullingar and Sligo’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann committees have both said Ballina is capable of hosting the event.

“A lot of big towns don’t have the atmosphere required, but Ballina has it everywhere. The ’97 and ’98 Fleadhanna in Ballina are a part of Comhaltas folklore,” Dr Ó Murchú said.

Hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will require an estimated 1,200 volunteers as well as several indoor and outdoor venues capable of hosting the various competitions.

The local Comhaltas organisation has already compiled a list of all major venues in Ballina and lodged them with Mayo County Council’s fire officer for approval.

A progress meeting on Ballina’s bid for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann due to take place in the coming months.