Blue chip visitors to Ireland may find themselves breaking bread in the lofty confines of St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church in Galway city in future – after it and Claregalway Castle were among the five venues awarded a total of €1 million through the Platforms for Growth Gala Dinner Venues Investment Scheme.

The investment will help both venues to cater for up to 250 diners in their unique surrounds – enabling them to compete to win international business events for Ireland.

Fáilte Ireland estimates that €67million worth of incremental business events could be delivered for the country over a five-year period on the back of this investment.

Gala dinners are seen as a key component of international conferences, incentive trips, and large corporate meetings – but Ireland’s current gala dinner venue offering is not sufficient to deal with demand.

The Gala Dinner Venues Investment Scheme was established to accommodate demand in the market, and to ensure the sustainable growth of business events revenue, which is central to Fáilte Ireland’s sustainable tourism agenda.

This investment has been allocated to five projects to facilitate the development of gala dinner venues of scale in four of Ireland’s business events hubs – Dublin, Kerry, the Shannon Region and Galway.

Galway’s two successful applications both hold iconic status with St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church encompassing a rich history of over 700 years – and the restored Claregalway Castle with its spectacular setting on the banks of the Clare River beside the ruins of a 13th century Franciscan Abbey.

The Castle has recently undergone an award-winning restoration and offers a unique and charming platform to showcase world-class visiting chefs, entertainers and superb local food produce.

This announcement is the culmination of a competitive application process which began in 2022.

The recipients were strategically selected under strict eligibility criteria, including an ability to deliver not only on capacity – 350 diners for Dublin venues and 250 for the rest of Ireland – but also on accessibility, in terms of their proximity to one of Ireland’s business events hubs.

The venues were also required to deliver on the ‘wow’ factor, which means they had to offer an exceptional venue, in a spectacular location, which would instantly appeal to an international audience.

The selected venues will be required to adhere to and promote sustainability best practice in the operation of the venue and should support the business events industry to deliver events complying with best practice environmental sustainability measures.

Claregalway Castle owner, Dr Eamonn O’Donoghue, said they were delighted to collaborate with Fáilte Ireland – now and into the future.

“Our team at Claregalway Castle have run many original events with flair and creativity and this new initiative will really put wind in the sails. Irish castles, in their heyday, were notable gathering places and centres of culture, hospitality and spectacle,” he said.

“We try to honour these traditions in an authentic manner and our visitors experience 600 years of history and culture while enjoying the best of Irelands cuisine, music, theatre, poetry, stories and fun.

“This ‘Wow’ Gala initiative will help us develop a really magical experience and provide an enhanced platform   to showcase the extraordinary breadth of talented people in the West of Ireland’s hospitality and entertainment sectors.”

The rector of St. Nicholas’ Church, The Very Rev Lynda Peilow, was equally delighted to be recipients of this grant which will fund much-needed improvements to lighting, toilets and kitchen facilities.

“St Nicholas’ has got a ‘wow’ factor as the oldest standing building in Galway,” she said.

“It is one of the great medieval churches in Ireland hosting many impressive features; the serene atmosphere, stained glass windows; together with seven hundred years of history and tales.

“St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church is in the heart of Galway City, with the city at its heart, our mission is to serve the community today as it has done for over 700 years. So we have another opportunity to serve and benefit the city and local businesses.

“The connection between the past and present is tangible as the church aligns with the dynamic and creative spirit of Galway and its people. I am very grateful to the team who worked so hard in securing this funding,” she added.

The Gala Dinner Venues Investment Scheme is a part of Fáilte Ireland’s €150 million Platforms for Growth Programme, which falls under the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 strategy.

The Platforms for Growth Programme targets projects that have the greatest potential to grow tourism throughout the year.

Pictured: Gala Dinners…St Nicholas Collegiate Church.