A series of parliamentary questions concerning the aftermath of Galway’s 2020 City of Culture have been submitted to minister for culture, communication and sport, Patrick O’Donovan.
Galway West TD John Connolly (FF ) last week submitted a number of queries to ascertain what – if any - governance roles O’Donovan’s department has concerning the limited liability company set up to manage the legacy of Galway’s 2020 European City of Culture win, and especially fundraising for the local creative sector.
Since 2022, The Galway Culture Company (GCC ), chaired by former city manager Brendan McGrath, has been charged with coordinating offshoots of the 2020 European City of Culture, as well as the city’s earlier designations as UNESCO City of Film in 2014, the European Commission’s environmental Green Leaf award in 2017, and European Region of Gastronomy since 2018.
The University of Galway and Údarás na Gaeltachta are currently running the rule over the limited company’s books, with a view to completing an acquisition this year.
It is understood the two bodies see value in GCC’s in-house knowledge of how Brussel’s six-year, €2.4 billon arts and culture budget was brokered from 2021 to 2027. The European Commission is expected to allocate €8.58 billion for its 2028-2034 culture, media and civil society budget, with the European Parliament calling for an increase to €10.72 billion.
Deputy Connolly said he wanted clarity on lines of governance because his party colleague, Galway city councillor Alan Cheevers, has been unable to put questions directly to Galway Culture Company’s directors.
In response to Connolly’s questions, Minister O’Donovan said GCC has been externally audited by the Audience Agency, a British non-profit cultural research firm, which evaluated €1m in funding his department allocated in 2023 and 2024.
O’Donovan said he received a final report last summer and quoted from it: “[GCC] delivered a successful programme using a budget of €1m, in an effective and efficient way, demonstrating transparency in the way this has been administered and meeting its obligations as stated in the Performance Delivery Agreement with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.”
Minister O’Donovan added that his department planned no future funding. “I would note that any future role for Galway Culture Company, or proposals to change its ownership structure, would be a matter for GCC, and would be entirely independent of the work which was previously supported by this Department,” he said.
Earlier this month, McGrath cancelled a long-standing appointment to appear in front of all 18 city councillors to answer questions on the organisation, first established ten years ago as Galway Cultural Development & Activity – a joint venture between Galway’s city and county councils.
Galway Culture Company has failed to fulfil five invitations over 18 months to face questions from councillors at City Hall, with Cheevers calling for a forensic audit of the not-for-profit’s books to gain clarity on which local arts organisations benefitted from tax-payer funded grants administered by GCC.
A spokesperson for the embattled company said it had received zero public funding in 2025, after a €202,000 grant in 2024. “[This is the] final tranche of legacy funding from Department of Culture Communications and Sport,” she said.
The Board of GCC has seven unpaid directors, and its spokesperson confirmed it has communicated to the Department of Culture, Communication & Sport its intention to change its ownership in the “near future [because the] purpose for which company was established has now been completed.”
A spokesperson for University of Galway said its due diligence process on taking over GCC was continuing alongside Údarás na Gaeltachta.
“The underlying aim of this initiative is to build a long-term legacy from the European Capital of Culture 2020, which would benefit the region’s renowned creative arts sector and, subject to a satisfactory conclusion to these governance processes, University of Galway and Údarás na Gaeltachta look forward to advancing this,” he said.
