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US festival success for
Donegal-Derry
31.08.11
A DONEGAL delegation
who attended the recent Milwaukee Irish Fest say
they were "overwhelmed" by the opportunities to
promote the region. |
'Derry & Donegal
Atlantic Gateways' was the theme of the festival
showcase led by Derry City Council and Failte
Ireland NW. Other key partners included Ilex, the
University of Ulster Magee, Letterkenny Institute of
Technology, the Loughs Agency and Inishowen Tourism.
Local hoteliers, crafts people, musicians, artists
and performers also attended to promote the North
West region as a must-visit cultural destination.
A spokesperson said Derry-Donegal "took centre stage
at the festival" through organising and hosting the
showcase event.
At a meeting with Mayor Tom Barrett at City Hall
Milwaukee, tourism officer Mary Blake and Cllr Sean
Carr made a presentation stressing the importance of
the North West's diaspora of 9 million people. |
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Lorna McLaughlin of the Henry Girls
performing at Milwaukee's IrishFest 2011. Photo by
Paul Gaudynski. |
“We were overwhelmed by
the sheer scale and opportunity of Irish Fest, it
really was a fantastic opportunity for Derry and
Donegal. This initiative was led by Derry City
Council in partnership with Failte Ireland NW and
supported by over 40 organisations and cultural
service providers," said Ms Blake. |
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The Henry Girls open Milwaukee's
IrishFest 2011. Photo by Paul Gaudynski. |
"There were over
150,000 visitors to the festival and the showcase
really is the highlight. Thanks to the great talents
and commitment of all delegation participants our
showcase was extremely good quality and generated a
huge level of interest providing real stand out for
the region."
She said "many positive, creative and new
connections and partnerships were forged" at the
festival. For more photos
click here . |
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