Sponsored by
Everyone proves a winner at Limerick's spectacular Skyfest
THE SPECTACULAR National Lottery-sponsored Skyfest display of fireworks is estimated to have been worth €20 million to the local economy.
But being able to attend the event meant more to one young girl than all the money in the world.
Twenty-one year old Patricia Ingle, from Clarina Avenue, Ballinacurra-Weston, was struck down two years ago with a viral infection that left her suffering from brain damage.
She hadn't left the Mid-West Regional hospital in 18 months – except to watch Skyfest.
Her father, Pat, said it meant everything to his daughter and the whole family.
"It was just excellent. We had a great time. Patricia really loved it and we hope that this is the start of a new beginning for her. It will all start from that night," said Mr Ingle, who watched the fireworks from the vicinity of the courthouse with his daughter, wife Annette, and Patricia's boyfriend Kenneth.
As a kaleidoscope of colours blazed across the skyline, with King John's Castle as the backdrop, a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs" could be heard as some 1.5 tonnes of fireworks were catapulted into the air.
For nearly three hours the city was brought to a standstill with many roads closed to facilitate some 50,000 people flooding the city centre. On the outskirts of the city many cars pulled over to watch the 20-minute spectacle from the roadside.
In terms of revenue, Eoghan Prendergast, Shannon Development's Limerick development division manager, said the National Lottery Skyfest event would be the equivalent of the spend generated from two Thomond Park stadium events.
"This combined with the positive national and international media coverage will be of major benefit to us our in efforts to promote Limerick as a 'must visit' tourist destination. It provided us with a superb platform to showcase the best of Limerick to a national and international audience," said Mr Prendergast.
He said images from the event will be used in their future tourism marketing campaigns.
Model agent Celia Holman Lee was among those soaking up the atmosphere in the top suite of the Strand Hotel. "It was absolutely brilliant. The River Shannon was dancing with the fireworks. It brought tears to my eyes to look at it," she said.
Sisters Bethany and Ciara Askin, aged 10 and eight respectively, said they had never seen anything like it. "I liked the ones that went up in a circle and went red at the top, and I liked the yellow and purple ones too," said Ciara. Corbally mum Elizabeth said the event was just "awesome".
"It was just a beautiful night; it couldn't have been better," said Gerry O'Neill, from Castleconnell, who was there with his wife Mary.
Bridie McNamara, 88, from Adare, was there with her granddaughters Perry and Jacqui Meskell. "It was really lovely." We used the see them back in Ballybunion at festivals in the summer, but it was not near as good as this."
Peggy Quinn from Keyes Park, Southill, said "if we win the Lotto now it will be even better."
With TV and radio crews from across Ireland, the UK, the United States, China and the UK, broadcasting from the city Dr. Vincent Cunnane, chief executive of Shannon Development, said the event will help brand Limerick internationally and will be critical for future promotional opportunities the city can attract.
The internationally renowned company, Pains Fireworks, developed the show, setting up 1,500 shots over eight days for the extravaganza, which has branched out from the capital over the past three years.
Live bands, fire jugglers, face painters, and the Galway street theatre group, Arcana provided the on-street entertainment in the run-up to the fireworks display.
Limerick, many commented, had never looked better.
Email to a friend
Print this page- First drift karting facility in Europe is ready to take off on outskirts of Limerick
- Newport gun victim is mourned at funeral in Limerick city
- Man appears in court following County Limerick drugs seizure
- Protest march in Parteen over preferred route of relief road
- Luxury eight-bed home in Adare now on sale for €1.9m
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Limerick
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
