ONE YEAR after Taoiseach Brian Cowen decided to roll up Fianna Fáil’s fundraising tent at the Galway Races, the entire corporate marquee village may also become part of folklore at Ballybrit.
Racecourse manager John Moloney says that the tented village is looking “highly unlikely” at this year’s race festival, due to a decline in corporate bookings.
Mr Moloney told The Irish Timesthat a final decision would be taken next week. "If we have late inquiries for corporate accommodation, we can accommodate them in our hospitality area in our new enclosure," he said.
On a brighter note, Mr Moloney said that a significant increase in sponsorship at this year’s race festival would include the largest ever prize for a hurdle – some €250,000 for the Guinness Galway Hurdle to commemorate the brewery’s 250th anniversary.
Mr Cowen’s decision to abandon the annual Fianna Fáil gathering under canvas at Ballybrit was one of his first decisions after taking over the party leadership from Bertie Ahern.
The move elicited a positive reaction at the time from former Fianna Fáil senator and county councillor Nioclás Ó Conchubhair, who had criticised the “elitist” nature of the tent in a report to former taoiseach Bertie Ahern four years ago.
Mr Moloney said that difficult economic conditions had affected all events this year, but the Volvo Ocean Race attendance in Galway had been remarkable – estimated at three times that of the annual festival attendance, albeit over a fortnight rather than a week.
“The ocean race pushed Galway to new heights and we are hoping that people will want to return to the city for the race festival,” Mr Moloney said.
Race festivals were “holding their own”, he said, and attendance at Ascot last week was only down by 3 per cent.
Admission charges will remain the same at Ballybrit this year and the summer festival runs from Monday, July 27th to Sunday, August 2nd.
