Rose of Tralee CEO says cancellation a chance to review funding model

The funding model for the Rose of Tralee International Festival may need to be changed.

Festival CEO Anthony O’Gara was speaking after the event was cancelled for the second successive year due to the pandemic.

He says many of the centres around the world have been on standby for the past 15 months and will be for a further six months.

Mr O’Gara adds the festival’s cancellation, albeit disappointing, could give organisers a chance to review the event’s funding structure.

Yesterday, Mayor of Tralee Terry O’Brien said everything will be done to hold smaller events over the summer, in an effort to lessen the economic impact of the festival’s cancellation.

That is something Anthony O’Gara would like to see.