€850,000 Portlaoise outdoor stage no 'Dermot Bannon' design

Laois County Council has refuted a suggestion that it spent too much money on a "Dermot Bannon style" design for a new outdoor stage and canopy for Portlaoise.

The acting CEO however also says that they "wouldn't go for anything less than elite for Portlaoise".

Cllr Aisling Moran questioned the cost of the new Old Fort outdoor performance canopy and stage, which ran to some €850,000.

The Old Fort was officially opened in July with a performance by Laois Community Choir but it had already had its first major job in June, as the venue for the weekend long Old Fort Festival.

Crowds enjoying the 2024 Old Fort Quarter Festival. Photo: Alf Harvey

"It's great to have it but to me it's a lot of money. Is it the curvature? What if it was an apex? is it a Dermot Bannon style, are we going for the elite and it's costing us money? If you changed the design could it have cost less?" she asked. 

Simon Walton CEO defended the project.

"I wouldn't go for anyting less than elite for Portlaoise. this is an archeologically sensitive site. Regarding the design, it's not overly complex. It's a canopy. The costs are in keeping with the market. It's substantially funded in state grants, and done in accordance with the Office of Procurement's rules," he said.

He also gave her a breakdown of the €850k cost.

"It cost €615k for the structure you see, including the awning, foundations and services. The power supply was in the order of €50k. The stage was €80k, the 500 seats were €20k, accessibility and fire escapes were €30k, resurfacing before hand was €25k and lighting was €25k," he said.

Mr Walton also explained how it was paid for.

"The council put forward €75k to €100k of the costs. The URDF (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund) gave under half a million, and we applied for €250,000 from the Covid outdoor public spaces fund and were successful," he said.

Cllr Barry Walsh noted that it will end the cost of hiring marquees. 

Cllr Tommy Mulligan said that people were cold at the festival because the canopy has no sides.

"Will there be a back or sides? One night was very cold, people were talking about the wind blowing in," he said.

"The only modification that will be made is to the stage for returns. It will remain open for accessibility," Mr Walton said.

He said that the canopy can fit 5,000 standing, and 2,000 seated.

"It's for the purpose of supporting the arts. Laois Community Choir were fantastic and wholly appropriate to perform at the opening. For other arts and culture it's an opportunity to showcase themselves. It is also for the Laois School of Music and the Dunamaise Theatre. It can be a regional standard performance space. It will also benefit the nighttime economy in Portlaoise, for pubs, hotels and restaurants," the council's acting CEO said.

The canopy is inside Portlaoise's Fort Protector, a largely intact stone 16th century English military fort in the centre of the town. Portlaoise was the first settlement in Ireland outside of Dublin to be fortified by the invading English.