Venice of Ireland Festival - 2012

[whispers515]

Was on the Venice of Ireland face book page the other day and noticed a post relating to people supporting the festival and it got me thinking. I have been around the town for the past two festivals and quite enjoyed the bit of craic. Fair play to the organisers, god knows there’s plenty of hard work involved in bringing something like this to life. With that said, it does seem to lack involvement / participation from the community at large, a festival atmosphere.

So, without sounding like a know it all, or without in anyway creating a forum that is critical of the festival or its organisers, I would like to provide the opportunity to post some ideas which could help bring people out from behind their front doors and spend some time, and yes, maybe a little money around the town this year. For example:

Local clubs & associations:
Would be great if all the local associations were roped into do their bit to bring people into the town for the weekend of the festival.

The Fishing club could hold some competitions; say one on Saturday on the river and one on Sunday on the canal.

The local gun club could run a clay shoot.

Ballykelly GAA have two great all weather pitches that could be used for a five a side soccer blitz.

Monasterevin GAA could organise a seven a side football blitz for the underage teams around the town or county. This could involve the local schools.

The local history group could do a walk around the town, or work with Waterways Ireland to put together a historical walk highlighting the importance of the canal to the town.

The Mother and toddler groups and crèches could be targeted and organise a baby disco in the playground. This could be planned in conjunction with a family picnic in the park.

The Pubs:
Not that drink should by any means be the centre of focus for the festival, but wouldn’t it be great if you could drop into Mooney’s for example and buy a pint in a plastic glass, walk out on the street and listen to a few bands. Could some arrangement not be met between the pubs and the guards to allow such a simple pleasure without it turning into a drunken free for all? Say an agreement that allows day drinking on Main Street but only while there in music playing.

The pubs could be asked to put forward a darts and pool team, two competitions which could be run in two different pubs.

Others could run a pub quiz or a festival fancy dress / Mardi gras night.

Would be cool to see one of the pubs with a large beer garden make use of it and have a BBQ or something.

The small car park beside Finlay pub would be a great place to stick a small stage and a few picnic tables. Could be used to stage some trad music Saturday and Sunday afternoon, weather allowing.

Music:
I have to say I love the battle of the bands idea, get the youth involved, get them doing their own thing, as long as it’s constructive. However I have to say, it would be great to see more musical choice around the town over the weekend.

Look at the Lughnasa Festival in Rathangan. Over the past few years they have booked acts such as the Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, great acts that pulled a great crowd. There must be a lot of good acts that could play that would not break the bank. When I think of the crowd that Tommy Tiernan pulled the night he played in the Hazel Hotel, its proof that people will spend the money if their tastes are provided for.

I truly believe an act like Damien Dempsey or Lisa Hannigan, or Luka Bloom would pull a great crowd. The concerts provided by the festival so far were great, but there is an audience of say, 20 to 35 year olds that are not being targeted.

Business:
Monasterevin Motors in conjunction with Fitzpatricks could do a special offer on a car wash and valet.

Supervalu could hold cooking classes with the likes of Rachel Allen and others, with the ingredients used on special offer for the day.

Glanbia are always great for the promos.

So, again, I hope nobody sees this as a stick to beat the festival. My intensions are to come up with ideas which will get people living in the town to come out and inject a much needed vibe to proceedings.
Now, I’m off to put my soap box back in the arctic.

[archie]

Well Holy God !!! There is certainly enough ideas there to pass on to the festival committee and some fantastic ideas ! Well Done mate !

[rightsoted]

..jayses whispers ya have some mighty ideas there,some have probably been done in the past,but most imo,would be a huge asset to the festival.........ya should get in contact with the committee........

[b1]

hey check out the twitter twitter.com/#!/veniceofireland
The next meeting of the VofI Festival committee will be on Tuesday 7th February at 8pm in Carmody's Lounge.

[thebetterhalf]

Great ideas - and Im sure people willing to help as I am but we hear nothing about it from one july til the next. Would love everybody to be invited to these meetings in Carmodys and help organise these events. Put posters up and welcome people to meetings.

Help us help you!!!!

[coocullen]

why don't they have the venice of ireland festival down around the canal like it used to be year's ago. the festival is not for the publicans to make more of a profit. i mean' it's for the amusment of the entire family. during the day there is playground for kid's and the park for sideshow's and maybe some disco for small kid's and family picnics. then in the evening it can go down town for the outdoor music and for the elder's to have a drink or two. that way all in town will have a great time.

[forester]

and use the cyms hall for the photograph exhibition. the old smell of the hall would add to the photo's. they would be killing two bird's with the one stone. people would see the hall interior and it might convince them to renovate it.

[thebetterhalf]

Any idea where and when the sign up for this is???

Would think it would be organised and in parish newsletter however on sunday there was just a notice asking for volunteers and additional ideas on what to do for festival.

[mevinhistory]

Hi, I'm Barry the Vice-Chairperson of the Venice of Ireland Festival Committee.

First of al THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for talking about the festival and offering positive feedback and seeking to get involved.

Over the past three years we've managed to get the festival up and running with a very small committee and with minimal funding. From the start its been our aim to make it a community festival that promotes local enterprise and gets a bit of a buzz going in what otherwise is a dead and dying town.

I want to try and address the points everyone has made, but I'll pop that in a subsequent post. The important thing I want to get across is that we are OPEN to anyone and everyone getting involved. We really really need your help to make this festival better.

This year 2012 the Festival runs from the 16th to the 22nd of July, we are down to less than 60% of previous years funding but we are managing to keep lots of FREE family based events going and where ever we can we use the sponsorship we have to keep ticket prices to a minimum.

I hope it will shock you to know that to put on this festival it takes an average of €15,000 and so far we've just about broken even each year.

Finally I want to pay tribute to the whole population of Monasterevin because without them there would be nothing happening in July.

[mevinhistory]

Okay now I'd like to try and address the points made by the original poster and everyone else.

>Local clubs & associations:
>Would be great if all the local associations were roped into do their bit to bring people into >the town for the weekend of the festival.

I agree, it would. and every year we start working in December by sending out letters and contacting the full list of clubs and societies in the town asking them if they'd like to get involved by sending someone along to a meeting or planning an event to form part of the program. Some organisations are great and have been with us from the beginning. We have never had any engagement from any sports club in Monasterevin.

in fairness a lot of clubs close down for the summer and others are focused on fundraising to survive, but we always ask.

The Fishing Club are great, they sponsors us with a few euro and this year they had hoped to have a competition as they have had in previous years but unfortunately there are not enough members in town on the Saturday this year to run it as hoped

The sports clubs could do all the things you suggest, they are great ideas.

The Historical Society has done photographic exhibitions, canal walks and local history workshops. I must declare here that i am the Historical society Secretary and currently we have less than seven active members who are all involved in several other clubs and things as well. We will hopefully be making a contribution to the Festival in the form of a Canal Walk and an exhibition.

Mother and toddler groups: Great ideas, we've had storytelling in the library and oral history for kids in the Council Hall before. Will these groups extend their insurance to cover the events you suggest?

The Pubs
This year the pubs have told us that the see no return for the sponsorship they've given in previous years both in money and by booking bands to play during the festival.

Last year we had a Gig-Rig for music on the street with some good bands but it was poorly attended and a nightmare to steward because we can only shut Main Street down for one day.

We have great assistance from the Gardai in Monasterevin. Without their go ahead there would be nothing happening on the streets but there are only three Guards in Monasterevin and no overtime. As you can understand this has wider implications for the whole community not just the festival.

[mevinhistory]

Battle of the Bands
It was a great idea when we ran it, but less than a hand-full of bands entered and even those we had to go out and get them. If there's anybody out there with an interest in music please get involved and take on the role of music co-ordinator.

Regarding booking big name acts.
We do. indeed you've mentioned our headline act above but I'm not yet allowed to say who it is. With the Hazel reopening we'll have a venue that can accommodate large numbers again. Moore Abbey's baronial Hall is a great venue but only seats 100 and has to be a Classical or Trad act. Again we'd love to have the pubs assist us by booking bands during the festival.

I completely agree that we've missed the 25-35 year olds so far. But I'm the only 25-30 year old on the committee. we need input from all ages.

Monasterevin Motors and Glanbia are both sponsors and there are gardening and cooking workshops as part of the program. SuperValu are our main sponsor and that allows us to have a completely free Picnic in the Park as part of our Family Fun day on Saturday the 21st.

We have two problems. Lots of business are very generous with money, but we'd love it if they could do practical things like you've suggested. Most think they cannot spare the time or expense. Many of our sponsors have told us they "have not seen a return", but how can you measure a buzz and a lift in the mood of the town by cash in the register?

Second we are a committee of TEN. Ten people to organize everything from insurance to auditors to social media to black sacks for the rubbish. We need help. I answer every inquiry that comes to me via facebook or twitter our secretary has had ads in the parish newsletter we meet in public in Carmody's Bar. You probably know all of us because we're all on at least there local community committees each.

Our idea from the start is that Groups, Clubs, Business and individuals would organize events, the committee would co-ordinate and take care of all the advertising and promotion and everybody would have a good time. Its exhausting work but it worthwhile. I hope I don't sound negative. I love my town but it does need a kick is the arse to help itself. thats what this Festival is suppose to be.

Finally whispers515. Thank you for starting this thread and I WANT YOU! You can contact me here or via the facebook page, but I want you and as many like you as I can find to join us and pump some energy into both the Festival and the Town.

Sincerely,
Barry

[mevinhistory]

Okay to answer other questions:

coocullen: We have canoeing workshops and a Family Fun day in the Riverside park. Both those have costs involved of over two grand and have to be sponsored. Events in the Canal have to get permission of waterways Ireland and we have to cover them with insurance which is over and above the cost above. The publicans tell us they make nothing from the festival so its not for them. Its for the whole community so we try to spread events out around the town so that everybody can benefit.

forester: The CYMS would be ideal for lots of events but currently there is no public liability insurance and it need renovation. We support all the efforts of the CYMS Committee.

thebetterhalf: there is no sign-up. Just get in contact offer to help and you'll be very welcome. We can't force people to contact us or come to our meetings. we start getting ready in December and work right up till July up to a week after the festival.

I hope that answers the questions. I know there are a lot of people who moved to Monasterevin in recent years who would loved to get involved in a community event, you'd be very welcome. If you are a member of a club or business we want to hear from you.

If I came across as complaining or whining I'm sorry. There are three practical limits to what we do. Money, know-how and manpower. the most important being manpower we need more.

Its great to see people talking about the festival and i'm delighted you've all been so positive. I spend the whole week after the festival each year asking people around the town what did they think and what can we improve so thank you for contributing. I look forward to seeing you all at this years Monasterevin: Venice of Ireland Festival 16th - 22nd July 2012

[thebetterhalf]

mevinhistory
Barry I'm sure you are doing your best to arrange this but could I tell you as a resident my experience with the festival this year??
Have been in the town for 3yrs and have taken part and enjoyed this festival every year. However this year seems to be abit of a mess. Last year I remember weeks in advance of festival a notice stating when the 'office' was opening and people lined up to pay and join their activity. This year 3weeks before the festival and the parish newsletter states you are stil looking for volunteers and ideas... I did volunteer to help - I have not receive a call back and have no idea when meetings in Carmodys take place. Wheres the sign to welcome/advise us??
Apart from that there is abit of a fiasco with booking/paying for activities this week - Doing it out of the back of a truck opposite Rons??
I believe its not the ladys fault she was just volunteering to help. But there was no key arranged for this building and the keyholder is out of the counrty?? So now theres a sign on that building to go to another building?? Rons - altho no sign on Rons yet.
Might I ask what happened to the River House - where we all signed up last year? 10 days ago they still didnt know if you were using their premises or not.
Also several different numbers to call for different activities?? And sometimes you dont even get a call back? And I hear there is a mess with the canoeing sign-ups with ages etc etc also.
Wheres all the posters?? schedules?? Unfortunately and I hope Im wrong but people arent interested in chasing ye down to join a local festival. I hope I.m wrong and people are able to follow where the 'payment' location is and do get to sign up. It has always been a great time in the town and I really have been looking forward to it.

[rightsoted]

..read a piece on this weeks Kildare Post which gives the complete programme..........sounds pretty comprehensive tbh......all details are also on facebook.......

[thebetterhalf]

rightsoted = Thanks, infojust abit late this year and needs to be more organised as I have to set up my girls so as child-minder knows whats happening. But yes now there is a list up on main street. Dont get me wrong - me and the girls love this event..........just seems to lack organisation and I dont wanna b complaining but I did offer to help.