Limerick launches ‘twilight' initiative to boost night-time economy
Twilight Thursdays will run on the last Thursday of every month, offering a mix of family-friendly fun, live music, food and drink experiences, as well as cultural showcases.
Presented by Limerick City and County Council, the initiative is designed to energise the city's night-time economy and cultural life, and invite locals and visitors alike to explore the city after dark in 'a safe, welcoming' atmosphere.
A number of bars and restaurants are offering a range of food and drink offers on Twilight Thursday.
Limerick City is one of nine locations selected to participate in the national Night Time Economy pilot programme, which is supported and funded by the Department of Culture.
Mayor of Limerick John Moran said the initiative was all about 'reimagining Limerick after dark'.
'This initiative is about more than just one Thursday a month, it's a movement to showcase Limerick's incredible culture, energy, and the ability to do things differently. We want people to embrace the opportunity to support local businesses, meet friends, and above all, enjoy themselves.
Whether you're discovering a new venue, enjoying live music, or simply soaking in the atmosphere, Twilight Thursdays will undoubtedly improve our city's night-time offering. Let's make this a tradition that brings our community together.'
Night-time economy adviser at Limerick City and County Council, Craig Power, said: 'Twilight Thursdays marks an important step in reimagining Limerick's night-time offering. We encourage everyone to take part in this first edition and look forward to building on its success with even more exciting offerings in the months ahead.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Watch: Limerick lights up with Twilight Thursdays
Local efforts to boost the night‑time economy in Limerick take centre stage as the city hosts its second Twilight Thursday, drawing locals and visitors in for a lively mix of culture, music and dining. Supported by council, Uber and Free Now, the initiative aims to extend trading hours and boost footfall in a safe evening atmosphere.
The Journal
28-06-2025
- The Journal
Are small music festivals in Ireland becoming a thing of the past? Organisers weigh in
LAST UPDATE | 1 hr ago ORGANISERS OF INDEPENDENT music festivals in Ireland have said that mounting costs are making it harder for them to keep going each year. Earlier this month there was confusion about whether major player Beyond The Pale would go ahead, and beloved smaller festivals are not going ahead this summer, including Bundoran Sea Sessions, Body and Soul, and Wild Roots. In Ballyshannon, Donegal, organiser Barry O'Neill says that it's currently uncertain whether the famed Rory Gallagher Festival will be able to go ahead next year either. It's been a staple of Ireland's independent music scene since 2002, and was originally founded as a way to honour the late great musician, but has since grown into a real tourism highlight for Donegal each summer. 'We attract 15,000 people each year and they come from all over, so this festival has become really essential to not just Ballyshannon, but the entire North West,' he said. Nevertheless, O'Neill says that the festival is struggling. 'We've had to launch a GoFundMe to try and secure next year, and that's not where we want to be,' he said. The Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon. He's calling on the Department of Culture to roll out a 'more transparent' funding model for grants, which he says would help to safeguard the future of smaller festivals . 'I know for the fact that there are festivals in the likes of Galway and Dublin that get more funding, despite the fact that they are bringing in the same number of people as us, and that's because of the city they are in. 'There is not a single TD or Senator who understands what it's like to organise an event like this in rural Ireland, and that's why I don't think there will be real change on this, but we need a more transparent funding model,' he said. Festivals in Ireland receive grants and support through local authorities, the Arts Council, Culture Ireland, and the Department of Culture's small scale local festivals and summer schools funding scheme, which allocates up to €5000 for not-for-profit local events. O'Neill says that requirements from state bodies around security, environmental concerns, and copyright fees from the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO). 'We're being charged by IMRO for the first time for 2024 and we're going through the process at the moment, I think it's something like 3% on each ticket. We support artists being paid, but all of these costs from state bodies add up, and the funding we receive doesn't balance them out,' he said. 'Suppliers want to be paid in advance' Craig Hughes is the founder of Night and Day Festival which has been staged in the Lough Key Forest Park in Roscommon for the last four years, and is currently taking place this weekend, with headlining sets from folk legend Paul Brady, KT Tunstall, José Gonaléz and more (some last minute tickets are available here ). It has a capacity of 4,500 people. 'Costs are up around 20% from when we first started. That's insurance, but it's also the practical costs that rise each year with inflation,' he said. Hughes said that the uncertainty around larger festivals has impacted independent operators. Advertisement (Beyond The Pale, a major festival that has been taking place in Co Wicklow for years, said it 'almost stumbled' close to its opening day earlier this month, but it went ahead in the end thanks to financial help from an operator that stepped in.) 'Independent festivals are being asked to pay for everything upfront, including artist's fees in many cases, so it can create cash flow problems,' he said. Hughes added that the best way people can support smaller festivals is by buying their tickets early if they can. 'It gives us the ability to plan more, and more flexibility with booking acts. Thankfully, we've had great support since we've started, but across the industry people have noticed an increasing tendency for people to book late. 'Weather is a big factor for people, but we have three high top tents and most festivals have provisions in place,' he said. 'Micro-festivals are popping off' The Another Love Story festival takes place from August 23rd to 25th this year in Meath. celeste burdon celeste burdon Emmet Condon has been running the Another Love Story festival at Killyon Manor in Meath for the last two years. This year the festival has gone from a three-day to two-day event, which Condon said has helped with ticket sales. 'They've flown out the door this year. People want intimate to mean intimate, and they want less time commitment, so two days works for them,' he said. Condon is now running a pop-up 'Love is a Stranger' mirco-festivals that offer 24 hours of live music, with one having already taken place in Sligo back in May, and another planned for this Augus t in Ballyvolane, Cork, with a capacity of 500-700 people. 'The interest in those has been huge,' he said. Condon said that in the last ten years the Irish market has expanded massively. 'We're part of that, obviously, but as the major festivals get bigger, and this year the likes of Electric Picnic sold out in minutes, smaller festivals are getting squeezed out, and that's what we're seeing,' he said. 'Small festivals are increasingly on the breadline between ticket sales and what corporate sponsorship they can attract,' Condon added. He said that when he started out, ALS had to sell 60% of its tickets to break even. 'That's probably at 90% now. People see people getting together listening to music in a field and assume the organisers are driving away in a Porsche, that's just not the case,' Condon further said. He agrees with Barry O'Neill of Rory Fest that funding models need to change. 'There's good support there for small-scale community events, and the major festivals are flying it, but for smaller commercial festivals, they are caught between those two camps, and they are struggling,' he said. He argues that smaller festivals offer some of the best live music experiences people can have. 'You really do get to know everyone by the end of it. We have 2000 people coming this year, and many of them will come away with new friends. There's something special about it that just makes it different to a huge, commercially driven event,' he said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
22-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
‘Don't Touch My Knob' gig challenges lack of female acts at Cork's Live at the Marquee
As a positive reaction to the lack of gender diversity on Cork's Live at the Marquee line-up, musician Áine Duffy has spear-headed a gig in the historic Elizabeth Fort featuring female artists. Cork City Council and the Night Time Economy have partnered with Ms Duffy to present 'Don't Touch My Knob' in the historic former fort and women's prison off Barrack St. The all-female line-up includes MC and comedian Sinéad Quinlan, musicians Ria Rua, Áine Duffy and electronic DJ Nathalie Mac. Elizabeth Fort was specially chosen for its significant role in history as a female prison and deportation centre between 1822 and 1837. 'No female headliners? No problem,' Ms Duffy said. 'Join us for a powerhouse protest gig celebrating incredible female artists, too often hidden by corporate gatekeepers. No female headliners at the Marquee and just 2% females on the airwaves. We're taking back the stage. 'Expect raw talent, skill, craic, and laughs. This isn't just a gig. It's a statement,' Ms Duffy said. Ms Duffy, a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Bandon, has previously toured the world, including in the US, Spain, Italy, and Canada with her music, which often blends Rock, RnB and Dance. "It's like David Grohl gate-crashed an Irish protest rally," was how one of her gigs was described. Áine Duffy at her mobile gig venue, a converted donkey box, in 2021. During the covid pandemic, she converted a donkey box into a mobile gig venue to safely tour her album outdoors when gig venues were closed internationally during successive lockdowns. Ria Rua is a multi-instrumentalist and artist who fuses alt-pop, electro-grunge, and industrial textures with a powerful, unapologetic sound. DJ and co-founder of the Electronic Music Council Natalie Mac brings powerful beats and a passionate commitment to nurturing Cork's electronic music talent. Comedian and RedFM radio presenter Sinéad Quinlan delivers laugh out-loud humour with an authentic, relatable twist. The gig's name was inspired by a sign Ms Duffy previously erected at gigs which said: "Please do not touch my knob (without consent)" to deter men from adjusting her equipment. She said people, mostly men, consistently came up to her during live performances and tried to adjust her public address (PA) system. 'I was playing a gig in West Cork — it was wonderful but a stream of people kept coming up trying to adjust my PA system. I think they were just trying to help but I know what I'm doing, I've been doing this for years. "A woman came up to me the next day and suggested I put a sign up saying 'keep your hands off my knob' and I did. It's worked so far. 'I want to be gentle and humorous about it. But if I was a man, I would not have to do that.' The women will perform on August 1 at Elizabeth Fort in Cork City from 8pm. Tickets at €20 are available from Read More 50 more acts announced for sold-out All Together Now festival
