Minister secures future of centre with £2m

The Minister for Arts and Heritage, Ms de Valera, has stepped in to secure the future of the £6.5 million Glor Irish Music Centre in her Clare constituency.

A shortfall of £2 million in funding had emerged in the Ennis-based project, which is expected to become the national showcase for Irish traditional music.

However, Ms de Valera has allocated the funds through her Department's ACCESS scheme. This brings the Minister's total contribution to the project to £4.5 million.

Grants totalling £36 million through the scheme will be announced today by Ms de Valera to arts groups around the State.

Nine per cent of the total funding is to go to six Clare-based projects in her home constituency. Applications were made by groups throughout the State seeking a total of £224 million. These were independently assessed before recommendations were made to the Minister.

Expected to attract 90,000 tourists a year, Glor will also function as a cultural centre for the area in the off-season.

Work is well advanced on the project and the way is clear for the internal fit-out.

The project includes an auditorium that will accommodate up to 460 people. A studio space will provide seating for 80.

A retail outlet, restaurant and exhibition space will also be included.

"This very substantial grant will allow us to develop Glor from a single-purpose venue focused on music into a properly fitted-out centre catering for the broad cultural needs of the people of the region," said the centre's director, Ms Katie Verling.

"The centre aims to be the showcase for Irish music and to establish standards of excellence in the performance of music, song and dance. Any misguided notion that it will indulge in `Paddy-whackery' or in some way debase the tradition should be dismissed instantly."