Night-time economy advisers reimagine rural life after dark
Backed by Longford County Council and a dedicated night-time economy adviser, Karen Reilly, the town devised a 2024–2025 action plan aimed at enhancing cultural, economic, and social vibrancy in the evenings.
The plan was developed in alignment with a report by the National Night-time Economy Taskforce, published in 2021, which outlined key recommendations for creating a more dynamic and inclusive night-time culture across the country.
In Longford, the plan was shaped through extensive public and business surveys, stakeholder workshops, and the formation of a cross-departmental working group within the council.
The initiative has supported events like Café Lates, First Fridays, and the Safe and Sound Campaign.
The Night-Time Economy Support Scheme provides grants of up to €3,000 aimed at encouraging local businesses, artists, and community groups to host evening activities.
Reilly said: 'For a rural town like Longford, this initiative is more than just entertainment, it's about creating a safer more inclusive, and economically resilient community.'
According to the adviser, by extending the use of public spaces and supporting late-night transport and public realm improvements, the plan is helping to make Longford a place where people want to stay, socialise, and spend locally after dark.
Galway nightlife
Galway city is another pilot location selected to lead the way in developing a more inclusive and sustainable night-time economy.
The initiative aims to reimagine how Irish cities and towns function between 6:00p.m. and 6:00a.m., according to Kate Howard, night-time economy adviser for Galway city at Galway City Council.
Galway's participation is guided by a dedicated night-time economy action plan (2024–2025), developed in close collaboration with local stakeholders including businesses, cultural venues, residents, and community groups.
Howard said: 'It is not just about traditional nightlife. It encompasses a broader spectrum of experiences, including retail, cultural programming, food and drink, sport and community-led events that contribute to the vibrancy and wellbeing of the city after dark.'
Appointed a night-time economy advisor in 2023, Howard was tasked with co-ordinating efforts to enhance the city's evening and night-time environment.
'The plan focuses on creating a safe, welcoming and diverse environment that supports cultural events, hospitality, retail, safety, transport and community activities,' she explained.
'Its key themes – infrastructure, communications, and experiences – are designed to ensure anholistic and inclusive approach.
'A vital aspect of the adviser's role is strengthening collaborative structures within local government and across the city, embedding the night-time economy into the city's broader planning and policy frameworks.
'This ensures that the needs and opportunities of the night-time are considered in all future strategies, from urban design and transport to community development and cultural programming.'
A key component of Galway's action plan is safety and its commitment to supporting businesses through targeted training.
In 2024 and 2025, Galway City Council delivered a series of free workshops for night-time operators, covering topics such as vulnerability awareness; anti-sexual harassment; bystander intervention; and drink spiking prevention.
'These sessions, led by international experts, were designed to equip staff with the tools to create safer, more inclusive environments.
'n addition, disability awareness training was introduced to help venues better accommodate customers with accessibility needs, enforcing Galway's ambition 'to be a truly welcoming city day and night',
'This commitment to safety is further supported by the Safe and Sound campaign, an initiative promoting awareness, visibility, and respect in collaboration with night-time economy stakeholders, to ensure that everyone can enjoy Galway at night with confidence,' Howard said.
A standout initiative is the Café Lates pilot, which supports local cafés in extending their opening hours into the evening, offering relaxed non-alcohol focused social spaces.
'This programme which was first trialled in Galway city, has been well received, and is now in its second year, reflecting strong public demand for more diverse night-time options,' Howard outlined.
'The Galway City Café Lates model has also demonstrated its effectiveness beyond the city, with replication across five of the nine national night-time economy pilot areas: Kilkenny, Cork, Sligo, Longford, and Drogheda.'
Galway has also developed an initiative called 'Youth Lates', a programme of events designed specifically for 16–19-year-olds.
'These events are co-created with young people and delivered in partnership with youth organisations, arts venues, and local creatives,' Kate explained.
They provide safe, engaging and culturally rich experiences, ranging from live music events and creative workshops, offering young people a meaningful way to participate in the city's night-time life.'
(Left to right): Ciaran Lennon, communities engagement officer; Karen Reilly, night-time economy advisor; David Hussey, LEDJS and Cllr. Kevin Hussey. Image source: Brian McCann.
Another cultural offering is Thursday Lates at Galway Arts Centre, which pilots extended opening hours and provides evening access to exhibitions, performances, and creative workshops.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to make cultural venues more accessible after dark and to encourage new patterns of engagement with the arts in the evening hours.
'Galway's night-time economy action plan is not just about economic growth. It's about fostering a city that is inclusive, culturally rich, and alive with opportunity well into the evening,' Howard said.
Night-time economy
A number of recommendations in the report of the night-time economy task force specifically focus on broadening the part of the night-time economy offering that does not involve the sale of alcohol or is not centred on its sale, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport (DCCS), which is funding the initiative.
According to the spokesperson: 'There is a recognition that Ireland also has a more diverse culture today and there is a need to provide more alcohol-free options for our new communities in the night time economy.
'Younger people are also seeking a healthier lifestyle and there is a need to respond to the overall public demand for a late night café culture.'
The support scheme provided grants of up €10,000 to cafés to host events to increase footfall in towns and cities, provide opportunities for artists – including new and emerging artists at local level – and also encourage the use of cafés as venues for a variety of artists in a more long-term way, the department spokesperson said.
The scheme was extremely successful, with many cafés interested in trialling more events, with some reporting that they would still require a little more grant support to generate the consistent footfall needed.
Rural life after dark
In support of action 19 in the report of the taskforce, DCCS is funding nine night-time economy advisors in Dublin city, Cork city, Limerick city, Galway city, Kilkenny, Sligo, Longford, Buncrana and Drogheda.
'The night-time economy pilots are a significant project within the night-time economy policy area and arguably one of the most impactful. The advisors are helping to drive and support a more sustainable night-time economy in their local areas.
'They also work collaboratively on larger projects which have included a late night transport campaign in partnership with the National Transport Authority, a late night safety campaign and the Café Lates initiative,' the department spokesperson said.
The pilots are reimagining cafés as evening cultural venues, hosting everything from spoken word and live music to DJ sets, games, and creative workshops.
In Co. Donegal, Buncrana has recently launched a phase 2 of its night-time economy grant scheme, which provides small funds of up to €1,000 to support a range of activity from live music and cultural pop-ups to night-time food events and creative uses of public space.
The grant scheme is open to all, including cafés that want to contribute to a richer, more diverse evening culture in Buncrana.
Meanwhile, in Limerick city, Twilight Thursdays – which runs on the last Thursday of every month – offers a mix of family-friendly fun, live music, food and drink experiences, and cultural showcases and also features extended cafe and retail hours.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Cork firm behind plan for massive wind farm deep in the Aussie Outback
DP Energy, which is headquartered in Buttevant, plans to develop Windy Plains Renewable Energy Park, a major renewable energy development located approximately 40 km southeast of Julia Creek in McKinlay Shire, Queensland. The work will combine 197 wind turbines with an installed capacity of up to 1,400 MW and supported by battery energy storage systems (BESS) of around 500 MW / 2000 MWh. The project represents a significant opportunity to contribute to Queensland's renewable energy targets and Australia's broader net-zero goals. DP Energy has been operating for 30 years and has enabled 1 GW of renewable energy generation through 21 significant infrastructure projects worldwide. Currently, DP Energy has a 4.5 GW pipeline of renewable energy projects across Ireland, the UK, Australia and Canada. Hugh Cantwell, DP Energy Australia's Head of Development, said: 'Windy Plains Renewable Energy Park is perfectly positioned to tap into North Queensland's incredible wind resources, resulting in long‑term economic benefits for the region. 'With strong, consistent winds, ample land, and direct access to new transmission infrastructure, it will power both the grid and local growth for decades to come,' he said. The company has several upcoming Irish projects in the pipeline including Lyra wind farm and Aries wind farm, both located in Mayo, could generate up to 100MW and 50MW respectively. Other domestic works include additional early-stage wind farms and projects involving non-grid dependent renewable solutions for large energy users. ADVERTISEMENT DP Energy recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a large Irish utility generator to use green hydrogen as a clean power fuel for electricity generating stations. 'From the outset, our priority is genuine collaboration with local communities, First Nations, and all levels of government. Early, open dialogue means Windy Plains Renewable Energy Park will be designed with community insights at its core, delivering results that will create lasting value for all stakeholders,' Mr Cantwell concluded.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Action needs to be taken to reverse recent decline in women securing leadership roles in Irish business
In 2025, it is both remarkable and disappointing that progress in tackling the gender gap in leadership is taking a backwards step in Ireland, with a -24.8 per cent year-on-year drop in women hired into top jobs here. There are no women leading any of the major Irish companies listed on stock markets. Despite making up almost half of the workforce, women continue to be underrepresented in senior ranks across the country. This confirms what many working women in Ireland already know through experience. Progress has hit a speed bump. The question is: Why? Our LinkedIn data shows that this reverse in progress isn't confined to Ireland. Globally, the share of women securing leadership positions has dropped for three consecutive years. While this was the first year where a decline was recorded in Ireland, it's the scale of the drop that should sound alarm bells. READ MORE Ireland still sits marginally above the global median, with women accounting for 34.5 per cent of senior hires compared to 33 per cent globally, but the rate of contraction here last year was stark. Despite years of policymaking, advocacy and increased public scrutiny, the odds are still stacked against women due to structural barriers and systemic biases that block their progression. Those barriers manifest very starkly when we look at the scale of the 'drop-to-the-top' for women in Ireland. At entry level, there is gender parity with men and women holding half of the roles. But women hold just over one third of director-level roles and by the time we get to the C-Suite, female representation has plummeted to one-fifth. In short, there is a staggering 60 per cent drop-off in female representation in the Irish workforce from when women first enter the workforce to those that reach executive level. The structural imbalance in the workforce is a challenge that requires even more focus, as AI is driving the fifth industrial revolution in the global economy. The risk is that, if women are left behind as artificial intelligence reshapes industries, the gender divide will become even more entrenched. We need to act now. There are challenges, but it is also a moment of opportunity. LinkedIn's analysis of what it will take to be a leader in an AI-transformed economy is that it will not be executives with linear, traditional career trajectories. Instead, leadership will increasingly favour individuals with broad, cross-functional experience. And it's women who are more likely to have such multidomain experience. In Ireland, Women are up to 21 per cent more likely than men to bring varied, cross-industry experience to the table, often the result of career pivots. What has at times been seen as a liability, with career journeys potentially shaped by taking time out or flexible work arrangements for caring responsibilities, is now a potential source of strength. That's because agility, empathy, collaboration and the ability to navigate change in spades will be the trademarks of tomorrow's leaders. There are two clear actions that would make a big difference to solving this problem. First, we need to change how we hire. A shift by employers to skills-based hiring, whereby recruiters focus on candidates' abilities over previous titles, allowing them to tap into broader talent pools and ensure better alignment with evolving job demands. Our analysis shows that if employers adopted this approach, they could more than quadruple the talent pool for women in Ireland. Such a shift would not only benefit women, but also help businesses fill skills gaps in what is a very tight market for talent in Ireland at present. Secondly, we should not take a backwards step on flexible work. Women are more likely to be double-jobbing even though they may hold similar positions to their male counterparts. Hybrid work has proved to be a game-changer in giving workers the flexibility to manage their personal and professional responsibilities. We also need to collectively create a workplace culture where there is a better acceptance of parental leave for both men and women. Closing the gender leadership gap in Ireland is not only the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do. Study after study has shown that companies with greater gender diversity in leadership outperform their peers on profitability, innovation and decision-making. When women are equitably represented at the top, organisations benefit from a wider range of perspectives, more inclusive workplace cultures and stronger employee engagement. In a rapidly evolving economic landscape shaped by AI, digitisation and geopolitical volatility, these attributes are not nice-to-haves, they are business essentials. Ireland cannot afford to leave talent on the table. With skills shortages intensifying across sectors, failing to tap into the full potential of the workforce is economically self-defeating. As our data shows, women bring precisely the kind of cross-functional, adaptive expertise that tomorrow's leaders will require. By embracing inclusive hiring practices, investing in leadership development and removing systemic barriers, Ireland can unlock a deeper, more resilient talent pool that enhances national competitiveness and future-proofs the economy. Ultimately, achieving gender-balanced leadership is not about ticking a box, it's about building a stronger, more dynamic Ireland. The next wave of economic growth will come from diverse, agile and forward-thinking leaders that reflect the richness of society today. That's why we must get to grips with the gender gap in leadership and ensure that we are maximising the full potential of our entire workforce. Sue Duke is vice-president of global public policy at LinkedIn
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
The week ahead in business: trade-deal deadline, bank earnings and results for Euronext and IAG
This year, in complete contrast, August 1 marks the deadline set by US president Donald Trump for a trade deal between America and the EU, or else he imposes a 30pc tariff on imports from Europe. A deal has now been done on the basis of a 15pc baseline tariff. While the details remain scanty this is in line the agreement reached between the US and Japan last week. There is likely to be further back and forth as the two sides quibble over what is and isn't in the deal in the coming days. Mr Trump may not get his way on something else – a cut in US interest rates. The Federal Reserve is due to decide on Wednesday whether to leave rates unchanged at 4.25pc-4.5pc for a fifth consecutive meeting, as it waits for more clarity on the outlook for inflation in particular. The other 'season' that kicks off this week is Irish banks' earnings season, which begins on tomorrow with Bank of Ireland. It will be followed by PTSB on Thursday and AIB on Friday. These should be relatively jolly affairs, given the announcement last week that gross lending amounted to €3.4bn in Q2 2025, which was up 18pc year on year. Davy is forecasting gross mortgage lending of €14bn this year, which would represent 11pc growth. Denis McGoldrick of Goodbody is predicting that capital distributions and loan growth will be key areas of focus for the banks in their interim results. 'We are forecasting that AIB Group will announce an interim dividend – their first since the global financial crisis – of 13c per share and 26c per share for Bank of Ireland. 'Meanwhile at PTSB, we expect confirmation that the updated internal ratings-based mortgage models have been submitted to the regulator which we believe could release as much as c.€200m in capital, once approved. This would allow the bank to begin directed buybacks with the Irish State, increase loan growth ambitions and pursue M&A opportunities which may arise in the non-bank sector, in particular.' Results to watch out for include Euronext, the stock market operator, which will publish its Q2 figures on Thursday, after markets close. IAG, the owner of Aer Lingus, will announce its Q2 results on Friday The Central Statistics Office will have tourism figures for June, which will be closely watched given the recent downward trajectory of visitor numbers.
