Huge crowds drawn to city events

OVER 90,000 spectators descended on a sun-drenched Galway over the bank holiday weekend to watch some of the fastest boats in the world.

Gardai reported very little trouble despite the massive crowds that poured into the docks and Salthill to witness the power boats arriving for the week-long festival.

The city centre was also a hive of activity with the Little Havana festival getting revellers salsa dancing to Latin rhythms, with a stage on Mainguard Street giving the pedestrianised zone a real carnival atmosphere.

Festival Director Maria Moynihan Lee said the Galway Powerboat Festival was a fitting response to the overwhelming public demand for an opportunity to ‘Rock the Docks’ again following on from the Volvo Ocean Race in May 2009.

“Galway is blessed in having the harbour area and Salthill which serve as a perfect arena in which to combine sea and shore based activities,” she stated.

A race village was erected on the centre pier with over 50 food and craft concessions along the Dock Road and Breathnach Quay.

Artists including Mick Flannery, Declan O’Rourke, Joe Fury & the Hayride, Cartoon Thieves, the Timbertramps and Crystal Swing took to the stage in the docks.

In town, Arcana had the masses grooving, while one of the most popular events was the salsa dancing classes, which had to be moved from Druid Lane to Cross Street due to its popularity.

On Sunday afternoon hundreds banded together to form a Conga line, with funds raised going to the Galway charity Cope.

Spokesman for the Latin Quarter, Fergal McGrath, said the inaugural Little Havana festival was such a success that there were already plans to stage it again next year. “It was a huge success. Based on public reaction, I would hope that it is the first of many,” he remarked.

“It brought an added dimension to the city, any other city in Ireland would be content to just have one event on, never mind all that Galway had. Day and evening there was a fantastic array of events for young and old.”

The seven day powerboat festival continues all this week, with 500 performers taking to the stage, as well as street theatre and family amusements. Based on the economic study from last year’s event which generated €55.8m for the local economy, it is expected that the event will generate over €10m.

The on-water activity kicked off on Saturday with the exhilarating P1 Superstock Grand Prix. Boating enthusiasts were able to get in on the action with the P1 Superstock experience in the Dome.

Galway City Manager Joe MacGrath said this weekend showed yet again that Galway was a globally renowned festival city.

“Hosting another major maritime event builds on our vision of Galway as the country’s premier maritime city. Galway Bay is a perfect amphitheatre for water based events,” he said.

Yesterday (Monday), the Around Ireland Powerboat Race kicked off, visiting Killybegs, Belfast, Waterford and Fenit before returning to Galway at 2pm on Saturday, July 12, when the bay will yet again be a hive of activity with the P750 cross border championship and jet ski demos.