£25k funding for mystery 'international' sporting event in Derry approved

Members of December’s Business and Culture Committee were asked to approve an application received for the National Events Subvention Fund, which will provide £25,000 of the Fund’s total £35,000 budget for an “international sporting event” planned for next September.

Council’s Head of Culture, Aeidin McCarter, noted that council had previously been presented with opportunities for one-off national events to come to the region if subvention were available, and an allocation from council’s festival and events budget was allocated to facilitate this.

“Previous successful applicants for this include the International Cricket Series and the Ulster Rally,” Ms McCarter noted. “One completed request (Event A) has come to officers for the next financial year to date, another possible application however they are currently waiting on match funding detail and are not ready to submit a full application at this stage.

“Event A is an International Sporting event planned for September 2026.

“This scored highly in terms of strategic fit and would also help bring increased media profile and value to the region.”

SDLP councillor Sean Mooney proposed that members approve the funding.

He added: “It says that there’s an International Sport event planned but obviously there’s a bit of work to go on that yet, and I appreciate the fact that [council should] let the organisers announce that themselves rather than in this forum.

“But today we’re here to agree in principle and I’m quite happy to do that on behalf of the SDLP.”

DUP alderman Julie Middleton said she was “looking forward to hearing some further details regarding the event”, while UUP alderman Derek Hussey enquired which “field of sport” would take place at the event and if it would take place specifically in Derry City or throughout the district.

Ms McCarter only confirmed that the event is “city focused”, and said further details were anonymised.

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She concluded: “I’m happy to share specific details with Alderman Hussey or any other member after the meeting, in confidence.

“We did discuss it at the Culture working group, so a number of members are aware of the detail of the application.”