The venues who have received grants as part of the €500,000 Grassroots Music Venues Support Scheme have been announced.
The fund has been provided in funding to assist small, established grassroots music venues to showcase the talent of emerging musicians across Ireland.
A total of 33 venues have been offered funding of up to €15,000 each with 16 venues outside of cities. There were 96 applicants.
Those approved for funding met the scheme’s eligibility criteria, which included a requirement to demonstrate evidence of a strong track record of regularly holding ticketed grassroots music events, showcasing emerging artists performing original music, spanning the years 2023-2024.
Minister O’Donovan said:
Our grassroots music venues play a vital role in nurturing emerging musicians and providing them with an opportunity to hone their talent, and it is very important that we recognise their contribution to the music industry, particularly given the challenges these venues face.
I look forward to seeing the diversity of genre and talent that will reach new audiences as a result of this funding over the months ahead. I’d also encourage music lovers from across the country to embrace the resource of their local venue and support artists in the early stages of their careers.
The Grassroots Music Venues Support Scheme is a Night-Time Economy initiative in support of the work of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce and following a recommendation emerging from Action 5 in the revised Night-Time Economy Action Plan.
Approved Applicants
Venue Name & Location
- Arthurs Pub Dublin 8
- Bank Lane Waterford City
- Billy Byrne’s Kilkenny City
- Clearys Bar Newcastle West, Limerick
- Connollys of Leap Leap, Cork
- Coughlans Bar Cork City
- Dali Cork City
- DeBarra’s Folk Club Clonakilty, Cork
- Dolans Limerick City
- Hen’s Teeth Dublin 8
- John Cleere’s Bar & Theatre Kilkenny City
- John Lees bar Tullamore, Offaly
- Kavanagh’s Bar and Venue Portlaoise, Laois
- Kennys Bar Lahinch, Clare
- Langtons Set Theatre Kilkenny City
- Levis’ Bar Ballydehob, Cork
- McHugh’s Drogheda, Louth
- Mike the Pies Listowel, Kerry
- Mo Chara Dundalk, Louth
- Pot Duggans Ennistymon, Clare
- Róisín Dubh Galway City
- Sin é Dublin 7
- Spirit Store Dundalk, Louth
- Tengu Dublin 1
- The Attic Doolin, Clare
- The Bernard Shaw Dublin 9
- The Commercial Bar Limerick City
- The Cornerstone Woodford, Galway
- The Grand Social Dublin 1
- The Lighthouse Dun Laoghaire, Dublin
- The Sound House Dublin 1
- The White Horse Ballincollig, Cork
- Wigwam Dublin 1
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
