Tourism boss to spearhead 1916 centenary plans

John Concannon of Failte Ireland

Shane Phelan Twitter Email

November 07 2014 12:06 AM

The Government has appointed a key tourism official to oversee the troubled plans for the commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising, the Irish Independent has learned.

Failte Ireland director of marketing and development John Concannon, who was heavily involved in The Gathering, is to act as a co-ordinator for commemorative events.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has also sent in his top official, secretary general to the Government Martin Fraser, to work on the project.

Mr Kenny plans to become more involved himself and will attend the launch of an outline programme of events next Wednesday.

The dramatic shake-up came after members of the Cabinet privately expressed dissatisfaction with progress made to date.

Mr Fraser was previously parachuted in to sort out financial problems at the Department of Health and the development is being perceived as a further blow to the credibility of embattled Arts Minister Heather Humphreys, coming quickly on the heels of the John McNulty controversy.

However, Government sources insisted the Taoiseach had not taken over leadership of the project and that Ms Humphreys remained "the lead minister" on it. Her department has faced criticism from several quarters over the lack of clarity surrounding the commemorations, which have been the subject of three years of consultative meetings involving TDs, senators, historical experts and civil servants.

There has also been criticism from relatives of those involved in the Rising, who say they have not been adequately consulted.

The Government now hopes Mr Concannon can play "a unifying role" and bring marketing expertise to the programme.

He was centrally involved in The Gathering and was previously consulted by the Government about planning for the visits of Queen Elizabeth and US President Barack Obama.

Mr Concannon will be on secondment from Failte Ireland until the commemorations draw to a close and has been given the title Director of Ireland 2016.

He was nominated to the position after making a presentation to Cabinet members last month.

A director of Failte Ireland since 2009, Mr Concannon is chairman of Gaisce, the President's awards programme.

He is also chairman of social care group COPE Galway.

As well as coordinating a series of events over a year-long period to mark the Rising, Mr Concannon has been tasked with fostering a national stocktaking exercise.

This will not only be focused on marking key historical events but will also involve promoting the concept of "imagining Ireland's future".

"There will of course be sombre and respectful occasions to mark key events. But the programme will also involve people of all ages and generations gaining an understanding of what history has made them and deciding who we want to be into the future," said a source familiar with what is planned.

There will also be an international aspect, with large parts of the programme set to be aimed at the diaspora.

Marketing and promotion body Tourism Ireland has previously briefed an all-party consultation group that it has decided to focus predominantly on the diaspora as the Rising is considered a much harder sell to other categories of tourist.