Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run generates 4 Million euro for city

Barrington Hospital Great Limerick Run generates 4 Million Euro for City – Minister for State for Sport and Tourism Patrick O’Donovan TD ,Cllr Michael Hourigan, Metropolitan Mayor of Limerick, Áine Mc Carthy, Chief Operating Officer with Barringtons Hospital, Race Director GLR, John Cleary, Mark O’Connell, W2 Consulting and Cllr Joe Leddin in City Hall, Merchants Quay for the launch of the 2016 Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run impact report. Picture: Keith Wiseman

Great Limerick Run generates 4 million euro for Barringtons Hospital this year.

An independent assessment of the Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run carried out by W2 Consulting found that there was a direct spend of €1.96 million euro.

This year’s edition of the race attracted almost 10,000 competitors with 3,150 children taking part in the children’s event, making it Ireland’s largest Children’s Fun Run.

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Great Limerick Run generates 4 million euro – Minister for State for Sport and Tourism Patrick O’Donovan TD ,Cllr Michael Hourigan, Metropolitan Mayor of Limerick, John Cleary, Race Director GLR, and Mark O’Connell, W2 Consulting in City Hall, Merchants Quay for the launch of the 2016 Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run impact report. Picture: Keith Wiseman

Cllr Michael Hourigan, Metropolitan Mayor of Limerick said: “This report shows the importance the Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run makes to the economy of Limerick.  It cannot be underestimated.  The event has captured the imagination of the people of Limerick, but from an economic point standpoint is attracting more and more people into Limerick for the weekend.”

Almost 4,000 additional bed nights were generated by the event, representing nearly a 50 per cent increase in hotel reservations compared to 2015.

The hosting of the BHGLR and Riverfest over the May bank holiday weekend had a very significant impact on the occupancy levels for hotels across the city.  Hotels achieved a 77 per cent level of occupancy on the Friday night of the May Bank Holiday weekend while 98 per cent of all available bedrooms were full on the Saturday night.  A total of 90 per cent of rooms available were occupied in city hotels on the Sunday night.

Launching the report, Minister for State for Sport and Tourism Patrick O’Donovan TD said: “The findings of this report are a clear demonstration of what the Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run means to Limerick.  The impact of the event goes beyond the city, with sport and tourism linking seamlessly in Limerick over the May Bank Holiday weekend.  Limerick has positioned its self as a centre for sporting, a sporting capital and the Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run plays into that narrative in a very clear and real way, and it’s paying dividends.”

Race Director John Cleary said: “The report shows the huge economic potential that exists in the area of event tourism with over 3,000 bed nights generated over the course of the weekend.  In terms of the social benefits and in the week when the Government highlighted our country’s obesity crisis the children’s fun run in the University continues to grow in numbers based on a collaborative approach between the University of Limerick, Limerick City and County Council and Limerick Sports Partnership.  The Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run though still a relatively new event on the national sporting calendar but has demonstrated the opportunities that exist to develop and grow the event tourism market in the greater Limerick area.”

Mark O’Connell from W2 Consulting, who carried out the report said: “The review provides evidence of the sport, economic and tourism dividends the Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run is generating each year for Limerick.”

“The economic impact over the course of the weekend speaks for itself but its tourism legacy impact highlights the longer term value of events hosted in the city.  Sixty per cent of non local visitors said they will return to Limerick in the next two years based on their experience of the city during the Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run.  Events such as these are the best form of marketing for the Limerick producing the scale of tourism destination impact and economic returns you expect from major events,” he added.

Áine Mc Carthy, Chief Operating Officer with Barringtons Hospital explained: “The W2 report commissioned by Limerick City and County Council clearly outlines that each year we are continuing to achieve our overall objectives with the Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run.  The increased number of people getting active each year coupled with the economic benefit to the city is a clear reflection of how the event has become the number one sporting weekend in Limerick for all.”

Great Limerick Run generates 4 million euro in 2016 for Barringtons Hospital, to see the coverage from I Love Limerick this year click here.

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