Just for the record I HAVE MADE MY POSITION CLEAR re world fleadh and wont allow false stories to be branded around about the event like last year .
harry was cute to change the thread and have all the green jacket men follow the line or should i say tow the line?
when i presented the facts re funding i was met by the new discussion being set up so to distract from the truth.
finally world fleadh is advertised as a irish and celtic music festival not a traditional one and for the record i believe tickets to most events are selling well.
Last year was a first and now the people who stayed away last year are all traveling over to it this year ,
spoke to pat today who helps with the session musicians and i believe twenty pubs are involved a total of 100 session musicians are attending
"Cllr Moloney made his comments after Laois County Council committed €75,000 towards the promotion of the event at its recent annual budget meeting.
The meeting heard the business sector in Portlaoise had already raised €250,000 towards the hosting of the event. Cllr Moloney said he has carried out research into last year’s event held in Ballybunion.
“I can say without fear or contradiction that last year’s World Fleadh was a flop. Numerous events were cancelled and those that did happen were poorly attended. If something fails in Kerry, the Mecca of Irish tourism, what is the likelihood of it being otherwise here in Laois?” he said."
75 grand of COUNCIL MONEY invested in promo... ok
But, the colourful Jakie Healy Ray says that is "Pure sh*te" and that it was a great success. But, an organisor of the event (a hotelier, and therefore an Irish Arts expert of course) responded to the 'flop' comment:
"Fáilte Ireland grant aided €100,000 to it, the third biggest grant-aided event in the country last year. For him to say it was a flop, he’s not living on the real planet. It cost €1m to run and we lost €200,000 on it."
So 1 Million (including 75 grand of COUNCIL MONEY) looses 200,000 Euro...
Doesn't seem like a great way to invest COUNCIL MONEY to me. The hotelier seems to deem it a success because Failte Ireland (the tourism board) threw 100 grand at it. Great stuff!
Sorry, it sent early, last couple of lines should read:
So we're looking at a scenario of 1 Million (inc. 75 grand of council money) making loses of 200, 000...
But, of course, it is reasonable to conclude that it will all cost more this year.
All I can say is that whoever got it off the ground this year and managed to get funding of this magnitiude on a track record of blowing 100,000 grand tourism money should really have run for Taoiseach in the last election.
Regards,
Harry (Session.Org Minister for Pointing These Things Out)
>Just for the record I HAVE MADE MY POSITION CLEAR
Oh, so you do know where the shift key is! Why don't you usually show us the respect of using it? It would help your readability.
> wont allow false stories
You'll find the apostrophe (thats the little strokey thing - no, not that one, the one in words like "won't" - to the bottom right.
> or should i say tow the line?
No, you shouldn't. You should say "toe the line".
I can hardly bear to read stuff that is written with so little respect for the reader. It's worse than the editorials in the Skibbereen Eagle!
I can't bring myself to go on....
No bodhran bliss,I dont have a hang up.
my problem is Harry along with two phantom people made some serious alligations last year and he again has made another tonight .
Harry read the paper again the councillor was making his views known on last year ,however you are giving us the figure of 75000 from council of laoisegone on last years event. The newspaper article MENTIONED 75000 TO THIS YEARS EVENT.
Harry wrong again,you should not asume the 75000 was given last year .
Finally Harry can we agree on one thing ?ARTS COUNCIL DID NOT GIVE 400,000 TO 500,000 THOUSAND TO THIS EVENT FOR LAST YEAR?and you accept my word that all they recieved was 3500 of irish tax payers money.
As for my spelling and keyboard skills im so so sorry SNEEZING LITTLE BOY but if you read my first comment a few days, i did explain i had no skills when i applied to become a member ,but maybe ye are all too advanced for me and maybe you would like me to get lost ?As i cant seem to get your respect
thanks and sorry for not being up to the mark
Belfast/Donegal/Co.LoiseChamber of Commerce Flute Mr.,
I'm not taking your word for anything unless you can back it up with some source material: look at it from my point of view, you're a ranter on the internet with a makey-uppey name.
The thing is awash with people's money again this year, including 75,000 of concil money (i.e. tax payers money) and God knows what else, and it was a decidedly lack lustre event last year given that it cost a million knicker.
I'm assuming above that it will cost the same sort of money again this year, that this involves 75,000 of council dough, and that it will make the same sort of loss as last year as these sort of things often do... it only mustered up 12 to 15 thousand people previously after spending a king's ransom on publicity: this is not a lot of people compared with the All Ireland Fleadh and Miltown, both of which which cost a samll, small fraction of the money, and these events don't need to sell themselves as a highly polished turd to be successful.
But, most of all, its expensive, brash, it looks naff, and it lowers the tone of what a good Irish festival might be... its too wrapped up in its own self importance, its own expense, its own need to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Its "New Ireland": expensive, ill-considered, shallow, and directed by nuevo riche cultural prospectors who want to turn a fast buck and see the back of it til the next gravy train... like I said, enjoy it while it lasts.
fluteplayerbelfast, I'm sorry to say, I think you've shot yourself in the foot here. You certainly have done for me, and maybe other members. If ever I had any inkling of going from the UK to the World Fleadh, forget it - that inkling has been quashed to a pulp. The way you have ranted on here has put me off. And I'm sure I'm not alone. You could have made your points in a much less confrontational manner but you didn't, choosing to come back and post the same stuff in the same vein once again; and so it gets me (and I suspect others) thinking if this is the calibre of the people organising the event, I'm afraid it's not for me. Once again, so sorry, but you have done your cause no favours.
Sorry - I posted this on the original thread, so I'll post it hear again in case it's not noticed.
Glad that you got paid, fluteplayerbelfast - and I'll assume therefore that everybody else did. Thank you for that answer.
But there still remains the question of who covered the 200,000 euro loss, and whether or not it was public money used, be it the Arts Council, County Councils, Tourist Boards or other tax-payer funded organisations.
And while I think about it, where would the money go to if it made a profit ?
As somebody not from south west Ireland it's unlikely you know the WF organisers' track record over the past decade or more.....lots of teenage minnows who are now mature musicians were hoodwinked along the way.....and it's not nice to take advantage of the vulnerable in society to get to where you want to in life I'm sure you would agree.....especially if it means involves solicitor's letters or onerous contracts....
Delighted to hear your kids enjoyed last year's event - will you let us all know in a few years when your kids have become adults, if they haven't given up playing by that stage, what their preferred option is as regards the type of music festival they like to attend then.
By the way if you'd like your kids to attend a fairly decent festival in my humble opinion - which will be attended by some of the best teenage musicians that I have come across in recent years - could I suggest checking out ww.concurtinmusicfestival.com - the lineup should be available in a few days - your kids might even be surprised...there will also be some more mature musicians in attendance - some of the same musicians that provided the backbone of the week of sessions in Ballybunion last year. And in this case it's unlikely they'll be kicked out of their accomodation by the organisers and moved to the more remote parts of Sliabh Luachra to make way for more lucrative paying guests when the crowds arrive.
My own guess is the WF is being held in Portlaoise this year to be in proximity to Fleadh Cheol na hEireann and maybe there's some other Midlands Music Festival on in the area aswell that took place in 2006?
I wouldn't have much time for the Comhaltas people but I would think that that they are a light years behind the sharp practices of their WF counterparts. I don't think Christmas cards are exchanged between them either. I recall the WF people handing out flyers in Letterkenny 2005 re their 2006 event with lots of artists advertised who hadn't even heard of the thing not to mind having agreed to attend.
Eh!, am I missing something here? Fluteplayerbelfast keeps banging on about phantom posters but a cursory glance at his/her moniker shows they are member no.36684 here (i.e. very recent) and have posted 2 discussions and 9 comments in total - guess what about? No I can read the arguements and agree or disagree but I don't care for hypocrisy.............
Hmmm, it seems to be that time of the year again - the weather has taken a turn for the better, college students are finished for another year, and the daggers are out for the World Fleadh!
Having been there and played there last year, I can say it was without doubt my musical highlight of the year. This is not to say there wasn't any short commings, but in terms of great music and great 'craic', for me there was nothing on par over the year.
We all know about big acts etc, but the quality of the music in the pubs was equally on par - on the wednesday afternoon I popped into the Feale bar for a quick drink with a friend and was treated to hours of fantastic music from Derek Hickey and Mike McGoldrick. A quick trip across the road followed to see Damien Mullane and his band playing before heading down to the railway bar where Niamh Ni Carra and Fergal Scahill were in full flow.
I hope the World Fleadh continues long into the future, as an irish music lover - this is my Oxegen!!!
And regog, I'll be in Brosna all weekend, Lixnaw the weekend before it, and managed to squeeze in both the World Bodhran Championships and the Kilgarvan Music festival over the bank holiday weekend too. The more the merrier.
Well, why can't we get more straightforward positive posts like yours, Jonathan.
You've made it sound very attractive...except...Dow said he's going now so I can't.
Any chance you'd b the same Jonathan Roche from Brosna that would have 'worked' with/for 1 of the WF organisers? Not accusing you of anything - and I would agree that some of the sessions during the week were top class - there wasn't much happened from Friday to Sunday in the line of sessions though.....
You're taking in lots of festivals - fair play - good choice in all cases I would think...
Maybe you can help, then Jonathan - because no-one else seems to know, or want to say. Who came up with the money to cover the 200,00 euro loss made last year ? Some Irish tax-payers who contribute to this site were curious.
Sorry to disappoint Kenny but everyone on this site seems to know more about the finances of the world fleadh than me. I don't have any idea how much tax payers money was spent on the festival last year. I spent the week playing tunes, attending gigs, and getting up to "divilment" as we say at home.
Jonathan
PS. If I was in charge of taxation all the public sector employees would get a pay decrease and there'd be festivals everywhere ...
world fleadh portlaoise 2007
world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Just for the record I HAVE MADE MY POSITION CLEAR re world fleadh and wont allow false stories to be branded around about the event like last year .
harry was cute to change the thread and have all the green jacket men follow the line or should i say tow the line?
when i presented the facts re funding i was met by the new discussion being set up so to distract from the truth.
finally world fleadh is advertised as a irish and celtic music festival not a traditional one and for the record i believe tickets to most events are selling well.
Last year was a first and now the people who stayed away last year are all traveling over to it this year ,
spoke to pat today who helps with the session musicians and i believe twenty pubs are involved a total of 100 session musicians are attending
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by fluteplayerbelfast
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
"Green Jacket Men"? Are you quite mad?
Calm down, Bro, its really nothing to bother the blood pressure about.
I moved the thread to bring it up to the more current pages of the board. If your argument was better maybe I'd have copied some of your input across.
Regards,
Harry.
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by Harry B
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
And re. 'The Facts': regardless of where the money came from I think its obscene to spend a Mil on a pseudo 'Irish' festival.
And we haven't established where all the money came from, have we?
Regards,
Harry.
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by Harry B
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Well, lets see what we know re. funds.
Quoting the Laois Nationalist:
"Cllr Moloney made his comments after Laois County Council committed €75,000 towards the promotion of the event at its recent annual budget meeting.
The meeting heard the business sector in Portlaoise had already raised €250,000 towards the hosting of the event. Cllr Moloney said he has carried out research into last year’s event held in Ballybunion.
“I can say without fear or contradiction that last year’s World Fleadh was a flop. Numerous events were cancelled and those that did happen were poorly attended. If something fails in Kerry, the Mecca of Irish tourism, what is the likelihood of it being otherwise here in Laois?” he said."
75 grand of COUNCIL MONEY invested in promo... ok
But, the colourful Jakie Healy Ray says that is "Pure sh*te" and that it was a great success. But, an organisor of the event (a hotelier, and therefore an Irish Arts expert of course) responded to the 'flop' comment:
"Fáilte Ireland grant aided €100,000 to it, the third biggest grant-aided event in the country last year. For him to say it was a flop, he’s not living on the real planet. It cost €1m to run and we lost €200,000 on it."
So 1 Million (including 75 grand of COUNCIL MONEY) looses 200,000 Euro...
Doesn't seem like a great way to invest COUNCIL MONEY to me. The hotelier seems to deem it a success because Failte Ireland (the tourism board) threw 100 grand at it. Great stuff!
Regards,
Harry.
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by Harry B
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Sorry, it sent early, last couple of lines should read:
So we're looking at a scenario of 1 Million (inc. 75 grand of council money) making loses of 200, 000...
But, of course, it is reasonable to conclude that it will all cost more this year.
All I can say is that whoever got it off the ground this year and managed to get funding of this magnitiude on a track record of blowing 100,000 grand tourism money should really have run for Taoiseach in the last election.
Regards,
Harry (Session.Org Minister for Pointing These Things Out)
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by Harry B
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
"Green Jacket Men"? Something to do with the US masters?
Surely he cannot be daft enough to think that Harry, and me, are sort of Comhaltas supporters?
Fluteplayerbelfast appears to have a serious hang up about this festival. Just go to it, and leave the rest of us alone.
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
>Just for the record I HAVE MADE MY POSITION CLEAR
Oh, so you do know where the shift key is! Why don't you usually show us the respect of using it? It would help your readability.
> wont allow false stories
You'll find the apostrophe (thats the little strokey thing - no, not that one, the one in words like "won't" - to the bottom right.
> or should i say tow the line?
No, you shouldn't. You should say "toe the line".
I can hardly bear to read stuff that is written with so little respect for the reader. It's worse than the editorials in the Skibbereen Eagle!
I can't bring myself to go on....
# Posted on June 7th 2007 by Lingpupa
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Join us...
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7291
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
No bodhran bliss,I dont have a hang up.
my problem is Harry along with two phantom people made some serious alligations last year and he again has made another tonight .
Harry read the paper again the councillor was making his views known on last year ,however you are giving us the figure of 75000 from council of laoisegone on last years event. The newspaper article MENTIONED 75000 TO THIS YEARS EVENT.
Harry wrong again,you should not asume the 75000 was given last year .
Finally Harry can we agree on one thing ?ARTS COUNCIL DID NOT GIVE 400,000 TO 500,000 THOUSAND TO THIS EVENT FOR LAST YEAR?and you accept my word that all they recieved was 3500 of irish tax payers money.
As for my spelling and keyboard skills im so so sorry SNEEZING LITTLE BOY but if you read my first comment a few days, i did explain i had no skills when i applied to become a member ,but maybe ye are all too advanced for me and maybe you would like me to get lost ?As i cant seem to get your respect
thanks and sorry for not being up to the mark
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by fluteplayerbelfast
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Belfast/Donegal/Co.LoiseChamber of Commerce Flute Mr.,
I'm not taking your word for anything unless you can back it up with some source material: look at it from my point of view, you're a ranter on the internet with a makey-uppey name.
The thing is awash with people's money again this year, including 75,000 of concil money (i.e. tax payers money) and God knows what else, and it was a decidedly lack lustre event last year given that it cost a million knicker.
I'm assuming above that it will cost the same sort of money again this year, that this involves 75,000 of council dough, and that it will make the same sort of loss as last year as these sort of things often do... it only mustered up 12 to 15 thousand people previously after spending a king's ransom on publicity: this is not a lot of people compared with the All Ireland Fleadh and Miltown, both of which which cost a samll, small fraction of the money, and these events don't need to sell themselves as a highly polished turd to be successful.
But, most of all, its expensive, brash, it looks naff, and it lowers the tone of what a good Irish festival might be... its too wrapped up in its own self importance, its own expense, its own need to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Its "New Ireland": expensive, ill-considered, shallow, and directed by nuevo riche cultural prospectors who want to turn a fast buck and see the back of it til the next gravy train... like I said, enjoy it while it lasts.
Regards,
Harry.
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by Harry B
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
fluteplayerbelfast, I'm sorry to say, I think you've shot yourself in the foot here. You certainly have done for me, and maybe other members. If ever I had any inkling of going from the UK to the World Fleadh, forget it - that inkling has been quashed to a pulp. The way you have ranted on here has put me off. And I'm sure I'm not alone. You could have made your points in a much less confrontational manner but you didn't, choosing to come back and post the same stuff in the same vein once again; and so it gets me (and I suspect others) thinking if this is the calibre of the people organising the event, I'm afraid it's not for me. Once again, so sorry, but you have done your cause no favours.
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Hey I might go now I know you're not going, Key
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by Dow
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
On a frivolous note, I'd just like to commend the new word fluteplayerbelfast has coined: "alligation".
Snappy.
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by benhall.1
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
*Deffo* not going if you go, Dow.
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Sorry - I posted this on the original thread, so I'll post it hear again in case it's not noticed.
Glad that you got paid, fluteplayerbelfast - and I'll assume therefore that everybody else did. Thank you for that answer.
But there still remains the question of who covered the 200,000 euro loss, and whether or not it was public money used, be it the Arts Council, County Councils, Tourist Boards or other tax-payer funded organisations.
And while I think about it, where would the money go to if it made a profit ?
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by Kenny
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
FluteplayerBelfast
As somebody not from south west Ireland it's unlikely you know the WF organisers' track record over the past decade or more.....lots of teenage minnows who are now mature musicians were hoodwinked along the way.....and it's not nice to take advantage of the vulnerable in society to get to where you want to in life I'm sure you would agree.....especially if it means involves solicitor's letters or onerous contracts....
Delighted to hear your kids enjoyed last year's event - will you let us all know in a few years when your kids have become adults, if they haven't given up playing by that stage, what their preferred option is as regards the type of music festival they like to attend then.
By the way if you'd like your kids to attend a fairly decent festival in my humble opinion - which will be attended by some of the best teenage musicians that I have come across in recent years - could I suggest checking out ww.concurtinmusicfestival.com - the lineup should be available in a few days - your kids might even be surprised...there will also be some more mature musicians in attendance - some of the same musicians that provided the backbone of the week of sessions in Ballybunion last year. And in this case it's unlikely they'll be kicked out of their accomodation by the organisers and moved to the more remote parts of Sliabh Luachra to make way for more lucrative paying guests when the crowds arrive.
My own guess is the WF is being held in Portlaoise this year to be in proximity to Fleadh Cheol na hEireann and maybe there's some other Midlands Music Festival on in the area aswell that took place in 2006?
I wouldn't have much time for the Comhaltas people but I would think that that they are a light years behind the sharp practices of their WF counterparts. I don't think Christmas cards are exchanged between them either. I recall the WF people handing out flyers in Letterkenny 2005 re their 2006 event with lots of artists advertised who hadn't even heard of the thing not to mind having agreed to attend.
See you in Brosna hopefully
Slan
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by regog
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Eh!, am I missing something here? Fluteplayerbelfast keeps banging on about phantom posters but a cursory glance at his/her moniker shows they are member no.36684 here (i.e. very recent) and have posted 2 discussions and 9 comments in total - guess what about? No I can read the arguements and agree or disagree but I don't care for hypocrisy.............
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by the wounded hussar
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Hmmm, it seems to be that time of the year again - the weather has taken a turn for the better, college students are finished for another year, and the daggers are out for the World Fleadh!
Having been there and played there last year, I can say it was without doubt my musical highlight of the year. This is not to say there wasn't any short commings, but in terms of great music and great 'craic', for me there was nothing on par over the year.
We all know about big acts etc, but the quality of the music in the pubs was equally on par - on the wednesday afternoon I popped into the Feale bar for a quick drink with a friend and was treated to hours of fantastic music from Derek Hickey and Mike McGoldrick. A quick trip across the road followed to see Damien Mullane and his band playing before heading down to the railway bar where Niamh Ni Carra and Fergal Scahill were in full flow.
I hope the World Fleadh continues long into the future, as an irish music lover - this is my Oxegen!!!
And regog, I'll be in Brosna all weekend, Lixnaw the weekend before it, and managed to squeeze in both the World Bodhran Championships and the Kilgarvan Music festival over the bank holiday weekend too. The more the merrier.
Jonathan
Better put on my bullet proof vest now :P
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by Jonathan Roche
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Well, why can't we get more straightforward positive posts like yours, Jonathan.
You've made it sound very attractive...except...Dow said he's going now so I can't.
# Posted on June 8th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Any chance you'd b the same Jonathan Roche from Brosna that would have 'worked' with/for 1 of the WF organisers? Not accusing you of anything - and I would agree that some of the sessions during the week were top class - there wasn't much happened from Friday to Sunday in the line of sessions though.....
You're taking in lots of festivals - fair play - good choice in all cases I would think...
# Posted on June 11th 2007 by regog
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Thats right regog, I have worked with a number of the people over the world fleadh over the past 8-9 years.
I can also say that I've never been "hoodwinked" along the way
Jonathan
# Posted on June 12th 2007 by Jonathan Roche
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
Maybe you can help, then Jonathan - because no-one else seems to know, or want to say. Who came up with the money to cover the 200,00 euro loss made last year ? Some Irish tax-payers who contribute to this site were curious.
# Posted on June 12th 2007 by Kenny
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
*ducks for cover*
Sorry to disappoint Kenny but everyone on this site seems to know more about the finances of the world fleadh than me. I don't have any idea how much tax payers money was spent on the festival last year. I spent the week playing tunes, attending gigs, and getting up to "divilment" as we say at home.
Jonathan
PS. If I was in charge of taxation all the public sector employees would get a pay decrease and there'd be festivals everywhere ...
# Posted on June 12th 2007 by Jonathan Roche
Re: world fleadh portlaoise 2007
.. so that'd be a pay cut for nurses, teachers, firemen, bin men ... and everyone else who makes life in the modern age bearable.
# Posted on June 12th 2007 by benhall.1