North Cork Independent Cllr. John Paul O’ Shea has announced that Mallow’s Racing Home for Easter Festival 2014 is to receive a cash boost of €10,000 from Cork County Council’s Economic Development Fund.
The Racing Home for Easter festival is all about encouraging those who grew up in the Blackwater Valley region but who have since left, to return home to Mallow and Cork for Easter and enjoy all the activities and festivities the town has to offer as well as encouraging local residents and visiting tourists to participate and enjoy. The three day festival coincides with the traditional Easter racing meeting at Cork Racecourse Mallow, where there’s a great combination of National Hunt racing and flat racing to be enjoyed.
Commenting on the allocation of funding, Cllr. O’ Shea said “The festival, since its establishment in 2010 has provided a much needed annual boost to the economy of North Cork and the wider Blackwater Valley. This funding which will be used to market Mallow as the town to be in this Easter for its annual Racing Home for Easter Festival. An additional feature to the wide selection of activities and events is that the festival will be centred in the grounds of Mallow Castle which was purchased by Cork County Council in 2010. The Economic Development Fund of Cork County Council which was initially set up by then Divisional Manager and now incoming County Manager, Tim Lucey is ideally situated to support festivals such as the Racing Home for Easter Festival and I am glad that as a public representative for the area, we can now be proud and look forward to a wonderful Easter in Mallow this year”.
The festival committee has enjoyed tremendous backing from businesses and organisations, both locally and nationally including Cork County Council, Failte Ireland, Cork Racecourse Mallow, C103, Mallow Vintners, Mallow Chamber, Mallow Town Council, Blackwater Valley Tourism, Irish Rail and a variety of local businesses and accommodation providers.
This year’s Racing Home for Easter Festival in Mallow takes place from Saturday 19th April to Monday 21st April 2013. There is a jam packed programme of events currently being finalised for the weekend which can be viewed shortly at www.racinghomeforeaster.com

Who is painting who? Both children and adults enjoying the fun at Mallow’s Racing Home for Easter Festival. Pic courtesy of Maurice Whelan