By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting at County Hall, Wexford
Today’s Wexford County Council meeting at County Hall, Wexford, opened with glowing praise for the success of Fleadh Cheoil 2025 in Wexford Town and ended with councillors arguing over future local festival funding.
The tension began when Cllr Leonard Kelly’s motion was introduced to the chamber by Cathaoirleach Cllr Joe Sullivan and it read: “That Wexford County Council request the Executive to carry out a feasibility study into the establishment of a major family-friendly music/cultural festival in Wexford Town.”
Cllr Kelly’s motion was all about exploring the potential to attract national and international audiences, build on the legacy and goodwill created by hosting the Fleadh Cheoil in 2024 and 2025, and to appeal to a different demographic than the existing festivals in Wexford, thereby broadening the town’s cultural and tourism offering.
Cllr Aidan Browne was totally against Cllr Kelly’s proposal and felt the funding should be shared everywhere, especially, in Enniscorthy, supported by Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy and a few others and Cllr Browne proposed an amendment to replace “Wexford Town” with “the whole of County Wexford.”
Cllr Kelly was clearly fed up with what he was hearing, gathered his papers, and said he would not favour “the amendment” and he was bitterly disappointed and expressed no further interest in the matter.
Cllr Vicky Barron backed Cllr Kelly’s motion and described the antics of her fellow councillors as “ridiculous”. She pointed out that the motion was “specific to Wexford Town” and she opposed the amendment.
Cllr Michael Sheehan called for “a level playing field” while Cllr Pat Kehoe mentioned “proportional budgeting.” Festivals in the major towns and some village festivals would share equally in the funding!
Cllr Lisa McDonald, who was online, felt that “budgeting for festivals needs revision. It needs to be looked at all over the county,” said Cllr McDonald and she wondered about the discussion around festival funding and asked; “how are we going to pay for it.”
Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe emphasised the need for review of festivals and how they operate.
Cllr Sullivan put the amended version of Cllr Kelly’s motion to the Chamber and it passed with a clear show of hands.
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