Pan Celtic and a Taste of Carlow

Nokia6230i

Possibly should've got a thread going on this from the off this year or as far back as 2016 but hey ho; it's gone now for at least 2 years with zero guarantee it'll be back for 2020 and 2021.

Going to put my hands up & say I was involved on the periphery for a number of events but had nothing to do with organisation of whole thing.

I came aboard belatedly.

I'll come to the launch night in due course (via an edit job) but the P.C. Parade.

Anyone see it?

Ideally it should be as big as St. Patricks Day one but it has never been in the 4 years it's been here.

There's a huge lack of local involvement from an event attendance p.o.v. & given loads of events were free and indeed those that weren't had a nominal €5 or €10 admission fee.

So why the lack of interest?

The festival's on the go since 1971 & was only cancelled once due to F&M in 01.

Peoples thoughts on all aspects welcome; things you liked & didn't like, things you didn't see but would have liked to see have being included on the clár and any other business please.

Be well and win

the parade on the Friday probably summed up local interest, just one local band (Pres School) in it. Where were all the local dancers and other groups?

byhookorbycrook

I would be seriously disappointed at the lack of local support, considering all the money it brings in.

brianblaze

From memory with the cafe very few people knew what the PC was. I've heard great things but never had a chance to go

krustydoyle

From a marketing and promotion point of view this event is handled so badly

You wouldn't even know it was on apart from the flags that go up for it

iwillhtfu

krustydoyle wrote: »

From a marketing and promotion point of view this event is handled so badly

You wouldn't even know it was on apart from the flags that go up for it

I have to agree with this every year without fail I don't even realise it's on until I see roads closed and tents going up.

Also it doesn't encompass the whole town. Why is it so centralised it's not like Carlow is particularly big. They could have a few sites picked out for food stalls etc. Down by the college outside the the town hall and over into the park amongst many others I would have thought.

byhookorbycrook

The Pan Celtic is run by a few dedicated volunteers. Meetings were announced on social media and in local papers.I'm going to admit to being a bit peeved by people knocking the event, who won't get off their asses to support and help it.

iwillhtfu

Perhaps they voluntary aspect should be taken out of it then. I don't see how you can be peeved at people for not volunteering when I'd imagine the vast majority if not all are aware of it being a voluntary event.

Also to knock constructive criticism is farcical. If there were advertisements for the event then they weren't informative enough at best or poorly placed at worst which is next to useless when it comes to advertising.

How long before the event were the flags and banners up? There's is great potential for it to be a festival atmosphere for a prolonged period not just a short visit and pack up and gone.

To clarify I'm not knocking the event but I don't think it's operating to it's full potential and if it's beyond the means of volunteers they should be approaching the council and including them in the process.

byhookorbycrook

It's not the first or second time that it has been held in Carlow, so hardly an unknown, if someone were interested in helping ,there have been plenty opportunities to do so. In any festival, there is a huge need for people to volunteer.

Perhaps the people of Carlow don't realise the amount of money this festival has generated and will only miss it when it has gone.

Nokia6230i

It will be missed at Easter time next year & the year after (and it's wrong to assume it'll be back in 2020/21 too).

Glór Ceatharlach in 2014 got in a mini funfair to fill the gap that year (think the operators were same ones as had it on site in Haddens carpark this year).

The accommodation providers in Carlow, Tullow & Leighlinbridge were quite happy & this includes Charlotte Rms. & Air B&B Lettings in the county also.

Vintners were well pleased; Dinn Ri & Irishmans & Teach did very well out of it as did Scraggs n' Tullys.

I felt the lady who operated their social media platforms (FB/Twitter) and was presumably on a six (?) month contract drove things big time; their interaction was unlike in previous years.

I felt there was plenty of advertisements locally & nationally on the flagship programmes (KCLR Live/The Way It Is), on TV3, in the Nationalist etc.

But still I can't quite get why not enough locals seemed to interact, get involved...?

Is it seen as too elitist?

In that regard does it suffer like the Carlow Arts Festival (Festival of Writing and Ideas is no longer a part of CAF/Eigse and the CAF is running from a Wednesday to a Tuesday this year which is trying something new)?

Is it a population issue for the town & county that, even though the schools & colleges're off, not enough people see the relevance?

Owryan

For me it just doesn't create a buzz like the arts festival. Look at the crowds every year for the fireworks or onstreet stuff.I thought the way the CAF used St Patrick's as a base last year was a great idea and the atmosphere was great esp although the weather did spoil it a bit.

For all the social media pushing I don't think people really bought into the Pan Celtic. Perhaps most just don't see themselves as Celtic and that it's a festival for people in funny clothes?

The CAF has a theme people can relate to, can you say the same for the Pan Celtic?

byhookorbycrook

Carlow Arts Festival began life as ?igse, with many of the same unpaid workers. It now has paid staff and gets arts council funding etc. I'd be interested to know how many people here volunteer at the Arts Festival now?