No sign of recession in Lisdoonvarna

FOR yet another year, the recession failed to dampen the spirits of revellers at Lisdoonvarna’s annual Matchmaking Festival, which ended on a high note in the early hours of Monday morning.
While events and festivals in other parts of the county felt the effects of the downturn in the country’s economy, not so Lisdoonvarna.

The September crowds in the North Clare spa town were the biggest in recent years, ­according to festival press officer Mark Flanagan, who has been making his way from Memphis for many years to promote and help in the running of the Matchmaking Festival.
He told The Clare Champion that even in these recessionary times people were still prepared to spend money at the ever-popular festival. He said they came to enjoy the 30 days of non-stop music and fun, the likes of which could not be found in any other venue in the country.
He said the festival was again a welcome boost to the ecomony of Lisdoonvarna and other parts of North Clare.
They put at 60,000 the number of visitors and holidaymakers who visited Lisdoonvara throughout September. Overall, they reckoned that the festival was worth €2.8m to the region.
Earlier on in the holiday season, Lisdoonvarna received a boost with the arrival of thousands of visitors from Germany, who descended on the town for health holidays. More will arrive by the end of October, bringing the grand total to 8,000. Next year, it is hoped to attract another 10,000 visitors on similar holidays.
The conclusion of the 2010 Matchmaking Festival brought huge crowds to Lisdoonvarna last weekend. The main activity was in the Hydro Hotel where Mr Lisdoonvara and the Burren Queen were selected.
The judges named Tim Murphy, a stonemason from Kilmihil as Mr Lisdoonvara while the Burren Queen title went to Lorraine Shannon, Belharbour, who is a tour guide at Aillwee Caves near Ballyvaughan.
Runner-up for the Mr Lisdoonvarna title was Jackie Coyne, Renvyle, County Galway while third was Pádraig O Brien, Athlone.
Aishling Davies from nearby Kilshanny was runner-up in the Queen of the Burren and third place went to Caroline Flanagan, Artane, Dublin.
While the Matchmaking Festival has concluded fror another year, the holiday season will continue until the first week in November.
Mark Flanagan said the area would be catering for a lot of bus tours, availing of cheaper rates towards the end of the season.