Building Partnerships. Strengthening Regions.

What began as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Republic of Ireland in 1996, has grown to become a hugely successful event connecting two islands through their common culture and heritage.

The Festival of the Sea is an annual Ireland-Newfoundland and Labrador collaborative event, originally linking the southeast counties of Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny in Ireland and the Southern Avalon region of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Irish counties of Carlow and South Tipperary are also now involved, while plans are underway to include the Northern Avalon Peninsula in future Festival events. The Festival alternates each year between Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The original MOU, meant to foster business and cultural exchange based on historic linkages, was re-signed in 2004, establishing the Ireland Business Partnership (IBP) within the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. The IBP, originally established in 1997, mirrors the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership (INP) in the office of the Taoiseach in Dublin.

In 2004, a delegation from Ireland met with representatives of the Avalon Gateway and Irish Loop Regional Economic Development Boards (REDB’S) to explore Irishman Ray McGrath’s idea of hosting an annual event. From this meeting and subsequent frequent contact between the two groups, the first Festival of the Sea was hosted by Ireland from May 27- June 6, 2005. A delegation of 30 people from Newfoundland, supported by the IBP and ACOA, traveled to Ireland to participate in the Festival. The response to the Festival was extremely positive. Since then, it has grown every year.

The 2006 Festival of the Sea brought some 80 Irish visitors to Newfoundland from September 15-24. The Festival offered a series of formal and informal events and activities exploring: Historical Linkages, Community Development, Cultural Collaboration and Coastal Management. The Festival returned to Southeast Ireland from June 22-29, 2007, with more than 100 Newfoundland participants enjoying cultural tours, song, dance, rhyme and music. There were conferences around history, heritage, fisheries and community development.

The Festival of the Sea Strategy for Renewal and Growth was developed during a conference in St. Bride’s from September 22-24, 2008. Thirty-two people representing the South-East Steering Committee, IBP, INP, various Newfoundland stakeholders and the Festival of the Sea Board, came up with a series of recommendations and initiatives for future events which were re-enforced by the signing of the St. Bride’s Declaration.

September 20-26, 2009 saw approximately 70 Irish visitors to the Southern Avalon region. This festival also introduced a new concept, the addition of associated events to the visitor’s itinerary. Special events included the unveiling of the permanent exhibit at the Rooms museum in St. John’s, Talamh an Eisc: The Fishing Ground, depicting the close relationship that exists between Ireland and Newfoundland from the mid 1700’s to the present day. Special events were also held at the Benevolent Irish Society and City Hall in St. John’s. This Festival launched several unique joint initiatives including School Twinning, Emigrant Trail, Marine Tourism, Cultural Exchange and Language Preservation.

Economic Impacts

By all accounts the 2009 Festival of the Sea was a huge success, attracting a significant number of visitors during the shoulder season. The event received 70 Irish visitors who were accompanied by eight board members and an additional seven people who followed the group throughout the festival.

Fifty-five of the Irish visitors were billeted in homes on the Southern Avalon throughout the course of their stay in both zones. The Festival also generated occupancy of 55-60 hotel nights. A net profit of over $12,000 was generated to community-based organizations, not including additional spending in restaurants, stores, gift shops, gas stations or local bars. Groups netted upwards of $3000.00 because of the Festival’s involvement with their activity, with some seeing 300 visitors for a single event. The festival’s seven days of events saw some 1100 attendees; approximately 150 were tourists and 950 were Newfoundland residents.

Irish guests spent approximately four additional nights in St. John’s. The resulting direct economic impact to the city, based on Destination St. John’s formulas, is estimated to be some $80,080.00. It is estimated that the overall economic impact of this event is upwards of $200,000.

Sherry Gambin-Walsh, coordinator of the 2009 Festival, notes that this is a large economic gain for a delegation of approximately 70 visitors over 11 days.

“It clearly indicates the significance and need for this event in the shoulder season and proves its value to rural Newfoundland and Labrador and the community groups,” says Gambin-Walsh.

REDB Partnership Contributes to Success

The Festival also demonstrated the capacity of the Avalon Gateway and Irish Loop REDB’s to jointly organize and stage a major international event. The inclusion of many community groups caused the Festival of the Sea to take on a deeper meaning within the communities represented by the two zonal boards. Community volunteers came together in large numbers during this Festival, showing a deep sense of pride and ownership in their communities.

For example, Port Kirwan, a community of about 60 residents on the Southern Shore, became involved in the 2009 Festival by billeting several Irish visitors and hosting a community breakfast/brunch. Carol Ann O’Neill, one of the breakfast organizers, said the event had special meaning for residents and visitors as the Irish entertained with song and music and Newfoundlanders opened their hearts and homes in a fine display of hospitality.

O’Neill says the event resulted in many lasting friendships being formed and a revitalization of the area’s Irish heritage. “It’s important to keep the traditions alive,” said O’Neill.

Residents have kept in close contact with their Irish friends and plan to hook up via a telelink when they host their Port Kirwan Come Home Year celebrations in August.

Dr. Wally Kirwan, Vice-Chair of Ireland Newfoundland Partnership, spent part of his Newfoundland visit at Carol Ann O’Neill’s house. He agrees that the festival experience is an emotional one.

“I vividly recall the moment in 2007, in ''the City of Point Lance '', when, responding to the emotion of Kevin Collins in singing ''From an Island to an Island '', all present, Irish and Newfoundlanders, spontaneously rose, as one, joined hands and sang along, 'with the tears tripping us ' .”

Dr. Kirwan credits the REDB Executive Directors for their commitment to making Festival of the Sea such a success.

“They played a major role in making the festival happen and in keeping it happening. Their commitment and energy stems, I believe, from their gut feeling for this unique transatlantic relationship,” said Kirwan. “Months after festivals end, families and friends on both sides of the pond are in regular touch, and the friendships made endure across the years and the ocean.”

The Festival has received a great deal of local and international media exposure, providing momentum and a means of attracting visitors to future events. The 2009 Festival was filmed by an Irish TV producer and televised in Ireland. East Link TV filmed the Festival and televised it shortly thereafter. Newfoundland media also promoted the event, including an interview with Eamonn Murphy on CBC Radio where he discussed the School Twinning project launched during the Festival. There has since been great interest shown by the general public and by groups who have come forward with written and verbal proposals indicating a desire to travel with the 2010 Festival of the Sea contingent.

Business Development

Potential business opportunities also emerged from the 2009 Festival. A representative from Cushendale Woolen Mills Ltd. in Ireland presented at the Anna Templeton Centre and visited with Nonia and Wool Trends in St. John’s to make contact with potential customers.

The Marine Tourism roundtable portion of the Festival also sparked interest among the Irish contingent. They have requested the Newfoundland board’s participation in a Marine Tourism workshop in Ireland in September 2010 so they might showcase the potential economic benefits of Ireland using Newfoundland as a model for developing its adventure tourism industry.

To build on the success to date, the Irish side proposed, and the Newfoundland side has agreed, to extend the catchment areas to include County Carlow and South Tipperary in Ireland and the Northern Avalon, including St. John's, in Newfoundland. Also, the 2010 festival in Ireland will be following the ''two-boaters'' to ''the Boston States'' with a marketing mission to bring Irish-Americans and Newfoundland-Americans, in numbers, to future festivals in Newfoundland and Labrador and in Ireland. 

With the continued dedication of its organizers and the hope for future human resource requirements to manage this growing initiative, the Festival of the Sea will continue to grow as an economically sustainable event and a tool to bolster the tourism industry of the Southern Avalon region. This project that was dedicated to the promotion of culture, heritage and community ties, generated an economic impact in a shoulder season and provided individuals with the probability for further business opportunities. It was a concept that originated from the idea of two islands with a commonality that could, would and did bond two peoples from an island to an island.

Dr. Kirwan believes the festival’s success stems from its thrust and design: its roots in specific communities, its wide placing of visitors in local people's homes, its use of local venues and its reliance on local musical talent. He says the experience has left visitors on both sides of the Atlantic feeling “at home abroad ''.

“The friendships that were formed, knowledge that was gained and information that was exchanged were everything we hoped for, and more,” said Sherry Gambin-Walsh.