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Great Limerick Run - where does the money go?

13

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    Raiser wrote: »

    €30,000 for what though? - seems to me they could cover all of their very minimal costs via their relatively hefty registration fees?

    Can you outline them please?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 919 ✭✭✭jbkenn


    king2 wrote: »
    Since I started this thread, I have been referred to as Thick, A fool and now finally to STF up. Why cant people have a civil debate on these forums without resorting to offensive name calling and telling people to STF up.My query from the outset was about the seemingly high entrants fees and an attempt to establish the reason. I have mentioned the subject to several people I know who are far from being thick or fools and they were also under the impression that at least some of the money must be going to charity
    Where/why did they get the impression that at least some of the money was going to charity?, what grounds other than their impression, gave them cause to come this assumption?.


  • Registered Users Posts: 393 ✭✭CheltenhamJ


    this doesnt seem to be going away , its good to see people are looking for transparency these days


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,857 ✭✭✭professore


    I would say the insurance for an event like this would be very high. That said, if the organisers make a million euro off an event like this, as long as they're not doing anything illegal, more power to them? It's a free country.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 878 ✭✭✭rainbowdash


    Raiser wrote: »
    Thanks for your input my newly registered friend, could it be that you are appalled by what you see going on in front of your very eyes and wish to blow your whistle?!?!

    €30,000 for what though? - seems to me they could cover all of their very minimal costs via their relatively hefty registration fees?

    - I mean in fairness, they didn't have to go out there and build the roads for this event did they? Truth is we paid for them through our many and varied taxes......

    How is he whistle blowing? I would expect the grant amount to be freely available in the public domain for anybody bothered to look.

    Why would a normal person be appalled by this?

    Have you any problem with the Irish golf open getting over €1m from the taxpayer to give prizes to foreign professionals? It's like they had to build the glf courses either.

    If as you seem to know it only costs €30000 in minimal expenses to run these events why don't you organise a few and make a killing at the taxpayers expense.

    And you didn't pay for the roads either, there were enough roads in and around limerick city to cover a 26 mile marathon long before any of us were born.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 878 ✭✭✭rainbowdash


    this doesnt seem to be going away , its good to see people are looking for transparency these days

    What's not transparent? Is the grant slipped in by somebody as a backhander or something?

    Is a corrupt politician getting payments to secure these grants?

    Perhaps you can list your allegations here, or maybe make a complaint to the gardai if you feel there something dodgy going on?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,339 ✭✭✭✭phog


    this doesnt seem to be going away , its good to see people are looking for transparency these days

    What transparency do you want? It's a private company organising an event that has got a grant. Is that unique in Ireland or almost anywhere else in the world?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    Raiser wrote: »
    Thanks for your input my newly registered friend, could it be that you are appalled by what you see going on in front of your very eyes and wish to blow your whistle?!?!

    €30,000 for what though? - seems to me they could cover all of their very minimal costs via their relatively hefty registration fees?

    - I mean in fairness, they didn't have to go out there and build the roads for this event did they? Truth is we paid for them through our many and varied taxes......


    Good man. Now list the minimal costs that you just mentions. Make sure you pop up rough estimates of the insurance figure, the advertising figure, the cost of getting roads closed etc.

    You are so confident that the cost are minimal so you must know what they are, otherwise you would not make that claim on a public forum.

    I don't know the cost of the great Limerick run, but I have a pretty good level of knowledge with regards to the costs involved with the Liverpool marathon and if the Limerick one comes in at even close to half those costs then it is not going to be a small figure.

    So come on Raiser, come out and tell us about the very minimal costs that you know about.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    professore wrote: »
    I would say the insurance for an event like this would be very high. That said, if the organisers make a million euro off an event like this, as long as they're not doing anything illegal, more power to them? It's a free country.

    Indeed. People need to realise this is a commercial activity, same as a guy opening a shop or a pub. If they get enough customers they stay open, if not they'll close.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3 Takkies1974


    Raiser wrote: »
    Thanks for your input my newly registered friend, could it be that you are appalled by what you see going on in front of your very eyes and wish to blow your whistle?!?!

    €30,000 for what though? - seems to me they could cover all of their very minimal costs via their relatively hefty registration fees?

    - I mean in fairness, they didn't have to go out there and build the roads for this event did they? Truth is we paid for them through our many and varied taxes......

    Im stating a fact. Simple as. But thank you for your welcome. The limerick sports partnership, would i imagine be the limerick city councils sports arm and from the ppl working there would seem to be an eliment of link up with limerick regeneration.....yes we're in quango territory.
    My two cents on this, yes a road race around limerick is a great idea, it shows off the city and to hype the figures a lttle id say it bring millions, no zillions to the city in tourism revenue. However if the ever ifficent Limerick city council are involved, if quangos number 1234 and 23432 are involved and the ppl who work for these quangos are well linked then surely the ppl who are involved in this private venture should be made public, public money has gone to this orginisation so it should be made public. All monies from the irish sports council are published every year and we in limerick always seem to get a small amount for things like gaa dressing rooms, soccer clubs getting grants for all weather pitches and rugby clubs getting money for facilites or equiptment. the point is you know the clubs and who are involved in these clubs and you know as they the clubs are there for 1000 years that the money will be used well. Great limerick run company is around for? The grant didnt come from the limerick sports council or shannon dev or limerick city council it came from a branch of the council the limerick sports partnership. how are they funded?are they public? or private?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 88 ✭✭EMTFlynn


    Don't forget, the organisers have to pay for first aid cover too.

    Civil defense, redcross and hse.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 404 ✭✭king2


    jbkenn wrote: »
    Where/why did they get the impression that at least some of the money was going to charity?, what grounds other than their impression, gave them cause to come this assumption?.

    Because of the high entrants fees and the Organisers recruitment of unpaid labour


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    king2 wrote: »
    Because of the high entrants fees and the Organisers recruitment of unpaid labour



    Riverfest is getting grant money and has volunteers doing some of the jobs. Should people assume that Riverfest is a charity event?

    I don't see people looking to see where the money Riverfest gets from grants etc is going.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,929 ✭✭✭Raiser


    I honestly couldn't give a fcuk - Riverfest, the Great Limerick run, or <insert catchy name here> - truth is theres people sleeping rough in tonights storm, our schools are prefabs and our hospitals are overflowing into corridors as a matter of daily routine - If ye feel its still justified to keep presenting large handouts to business people on a giddy whim to run frivilous events in Limerick then who am I to disagree?

    - I promise you this though, Limerick won't be any better for this the day before or the day after and the organisers will I'm sure spend their tidy profit + windfall grant aid somewhere more safe and more pleasant than poor unfortunate, chronically mismanaged Limwreck ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    Raiser wrote: »
    I honestly couldn't give a fcuk - Riverfest, the Great Limerick run, or <insert catchy name here> - truth is theres people sleeping rough in tonights storm, our schools are prefabs and our hospitals are overflowing into corridors as a matter of daily routine - If ye feel its still justified to keep presenting large handouts to business people on a giddy whim to run frivilous events in Limerick then who am I to disagree?

    - I promise you this though, Limerick won't be any better for this the day before or the day after and the organisers will I'm sure spend their tidy profit + windfall grant aid somewhere more safe and more pleasant than poor unfortunate, chronically mismanaged Limwreck ;)

    Still waiting for a breakdown of their costs. I know you know the costs, I just wish you'd share them with us.

    Course, Limerick will be better for the run, hotels will be busier, shops, restaurants and pubs will be busier, people who've been training for it will be a bit healthier, runners who've come from outside Limerick will get a different perspective on our city, etc. Maybe a few of the athletic clubs will even pick up new members, maybe the annual Christmas day run for charity will get a few new runners, all the intangible benefits an event like this can bring.

    Afaik they'll aim to have upwards of 8,000 people running across the 3 events. 8,000 people who felt the entry fee was worth paying, 8,000 people who want this run to happen, I hope they outnumber the moaners.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,339 ✭✭✭✭phog


    Raiser wrote: »
    I honestly couldn't give a fcuk - Riverfest, the Great Limerick run, or <insert catchy name here> - truth is theres people sleeping rough in tonights storm, our schools are prefabs and our hospitals are overflowing into corridors as a matter of daily routine - If ye feel its still justified to keep presenting large handouts to business people on a giddy whim to run frivilous events in Limerick then who am I to disagree?

    - I promise you this though, Limerick won't be any better for this the day before or the day after and the organisers will I'm sure spend their tidy profit + windfall grant aid somewhere more safe and more pleasant than poor unfortunate, chronically mismanaged Limwreck ;)

    The beauty of this kind of post is you can have your cake and eat it, of course Limerick won't change overnight because of events like the run but imagine a Limerick without the Munster fans attending Thomond Park, people on the streets for the St Patrick's festival, the Riverfest, etc., etc..

    It's very easy to be critical of everything and everyone but I for one love to see stuff happening in the city, I know it wont cure the ills of mis-managment but it certainly puts a positive spin on the city which in itself is a good thing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭timbertime


    Im stating a fact. Simple as. But thank you for your welcome. The limerick sports partnership, would i imagine be the limerick city councils sports arm and from the ppl working there would seem to be an eliment of link up with limerick regeneration.....yes we're in quango territory.
    My two cents on this, yes a road race around limerick is a great idea, it shows off the city and to hype the figures a lttle id say it bring millions, no zillions to the city in tourism revenue. However if the ever ifficent Limerick city council are involved, if quangos number 1234 and 23432 are involved and the ppl who work for these quangos are well linked then surely the ppl who are involved in this private venture should be made public, public money has gone to this orginisation so it should be made public. All monies from the irish sports council are published every year and we in limerick always seem to get a small amount for things like gaa dressing rooms, soccer clubs getting grants for all weather pitches and rugby clubs getting money for facilites or equiptment. the point is you know the clubs and who are involved in these clubs and you know as they the clubs are there for 1000 years that the money will be used well. Great limerick run company is around for? The grant didnt come from the limerick sports council or shannon dev or limerick city council it came from a branch of the council the limerick sports partnership. how are they funded?are they public? or private?

    I'm sorry but what you said here is completely false. Limerick City Sports Partnership like all other LSP's are funded by the Irish Sports Council.
    The funding they recieve can clearly be seen on the ISC website if you care to take a look. Also applications for funding and the critera needed in order to recieve any funding is also available!

    This is not some big conspiracy theory at all. Funded is available for projects. People just need to have the initative to get up and do something in order to get it. I for one am just jealous that I didn't think of organising a Great Limerick Run or similiar first!!

    http://www.limerickcitysports.ie/about-us.html

    http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Participation/Local_Sports_Partnerships/

    http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/News_Events/Latest_News/2012_Archive/fundingplan.pdf


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 878 ✭✭✭rainbowdash


    Raiser wrote: »
    I honestly couldn't give a fcuk - Riverfest, the Great Limerick run, or <insert catchy name here> - truth is theres people sleeping rough in tonights storm, our schools are prefabs and our hospitals are overflowing into corridors as a matter of daily routine - If ye feel its still justified to keep presenting large handouts to business people on a giddy whim to run frivilous events in Limerick then who am I to disagree?

    - I promise you this though, Limerick won't be any better for this the day before or the day after and the organisers will I'm sure spend their tidy profit + windfall grant aid somewhere more safe and more pleasant than poor unfortunate, chronically mismanaged Limwreck ;)

    What a childish person you are, if you honestly think €30000 from the government would get 1 homeless person off the street or 1 prefab replaced you are very misguided. €30000 wouldn't keep a hospital ward funded for a day.

    Charities will raise much more money to help these problems via events like people running marathons etc. than they ever will waiting for the government to sort them out.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭The Snipe


    What a childish person you are, if you honestly think €30000 from the government would get 1 homeless person off the street or 1 prefab replaced you are very misguided. €30000 wouldn't keep a hospital ward funded for a day.


    Thats true, and I'd prefer it to be put into something likethis then a hgih earners tax free pension.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 404 ✭✭king2


    Kess73 wrote: »
    Riverfest is getting grant money and has volunteers doing some of the jobs. Should people assume that Riverfest is a charity event?

    I don't see people looking to see where the money Riverfest gets from grants etc is going.

    Riverfest are holding a number of free public events,people are not being charged 70 euro to run on a public road


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 878 ✭✭✭rainbowdash


    king2 wrote: »
    Riverfest are holding a number of free public events,people are not being charged 70 euro to run on a public road

    I hate to break it to you but you can run on the public road for free any day if you want. In fact if you turned up at the marathon without a number I'm sure you could run the route at the same time.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭The Snipe


    I was just going to say the exact same thing, only thing is you aren't covered if you fall, or if you injure yourself in any way involving them, and you don't get the prize, nor the refreshments along the way.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 404 ✭✭king2


    What a childish person you are, if you honestly think €30000 from the government would get 1 homeless person off the street or 1 prefab replaced you are very misguided. €30000 wouldn't keep a hospital ward funded for a day.

    Charities will raise much more money to help these problems via events like people running marathons etc. than they ever will waiting for the government to sort them out.

    30000 euro is alot of money. Its public money and not one cent of public money
    should be spent without knowing exactly where it is going. What criteria is used to decide that this money should be granted to the Great Limerick Run or similar events? Do the people dishing out our money check how much the event will cost and how much will be made from it? Are there any safeguards to ensure that the money doesnt just go straight into some entrepreneurs back pocket?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    king2 wrote: »
    Riverfest are holding a number of free public events,people are not being charged 70 euro to run on a public road


    Nobody is forced to pay the fee. Seems to me that those complaining about it would not be running in it even if the fee was half of what it is.

    I'm running it in. I have paid my fee, and the money I raise will go in some small way to help a pair of charities. There will be thousands of other runners who will raise money for their chosen charities. If paying the fee puts me and thousands of others in a run that allows us to raise money for chatity then the entry fee is a small price to pay. I could not give a shyte that the organisers are making a profit, they got off their arses and saw something that could make them money and made it happen.

    If you don't like the fee don't run. If you think it is dodgy then go to the gardai.

    And if you and any of the others don't run or would not run in the event even if it was a free run, then what the hell are people complaining about?


    And as for the race being on public roads, you do realise that outside of events like this a runner cannot legally run in the traffic lanes anyway, so it is not as though people are paying for something that they can do legally for free at any other time.

    The Great Limerick Run was never advertised as a charity event, was never advertised as not being run by a private company, has never claimed that the organisers are not trying to make a profit, and has a disclaimer on it's site to say it is not part of the Great run series.

    Would be pretty certain that anyone who has ran in it, is going to run in it, or who thought about running in it took the time to find out as much as they could about the event and what kind of event it was beforehand, and a few clicks of a mouse would have provided the same publically available information for those whinging about the run and who are acting like there is something dodgy going on.

    If people want to get upset that they made the mistake of thinking it was a charity run, then that's their problem. A big % of the runners do it for charity off of their own backs, but the race itself is a business. But good to see that there are not enough real issues in Ireland today that a race, that people themsleves made the mistake of thinking it was something it is not, becomes such a big issue for them to be outraged about.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    I hate to break it to you but you can run on the public road for free any day if you want. In fact if you turned up at the marathon without a number I'm sure you could run the route at the same time.


    Actually you cannot run in the traffic lanes any time you want. I am sure that if you decided to do so along Henry street or O' Connell street that you might get a little visit from the Gardai as you trot along. :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 878 ✭✭✭rainbowdash


    king2 wrote: »
    30000 euro is alot of money. Its public money and not one cent of public money
    should be spent without knowing exactly where it is going. What criteria is used to decide that this money should be granted to the Great Limerick Run or similar events? Do the people dishing out our money check how much the event will cost and how much will be made from it? Are there any safeguards to ensure that the money doesnt just go straight into some entrepreneurs back pocket?

    Why don't you ask the people dishing out the money so and stop making a clown out of yourself.

    If you have problems with the way money is given out make a complaint to the Gardai or the relevent government department.

    You seem to think the government are giving away free money, why don't you just ask for some.:P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    king2 wrote: »
    30000 euro is alot of money. Its public money and not one cent of public money
    should be spent without knowing exactly where it is going. What criteria is used to decide that this money should be granted to the Great Limerick Run or similar events? Do the people dishing out our money check how much the event will cost and how much will be made from it? Are there any safeguards to ensure that the money doesnt just go straight into some entrepreneurs back pocket?


    I suggest you go and contact the relevent authorities with regard to your queries.

    I know from experience of different events that there is a very set criteria for getting such a grant, and that a lot of information has to be given (information that gets verified a number of times) by anyone or any company/organisation seeking grant money.

    What the money is for, when it will be spent, proof of costings etc etc all have to be provided before and after the event.

    There are a number of other businesses in Limerick that get grants, places where you pay for entry. I hope to soon see you take the time to list a few of them on here and question their motives and the profits they make as well.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭Itsdacraic


    The same people giving out about the Government giving a 30K grant to the run are the same people who would be giving out if there was nothing on over the weekend. This run is getting a decent national profile and you can be damn sure local businesses will get a hell of a lot more than 30k worth of a benefit from the run (which will in turn benefit the council). You've got to spend money to make money.

    30k is insignificant in the grand scheme of things and money well INVESTED if the run attracts the predicted numbers.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭gaf1983


    Raiser wrote: »
    I honestly couldn't give a fcuk - Riverfest, the Great Limerick run, or <insert catchy name here> - truth is theres people sleeping rough in tonights storm, our schools are prefabs and our hospitals are overflowing into corridors as a matter of daily routine - If ye feel its still justified to keep presenting large handouts to business people on a giddy whim to run frivilous events in Limerick then who am I to disagree?

    - I promise you this though, Limerick won't be any better for this the day before or the day after and the organisers will I'm sure spend their tidy profit + windfall grant aid somewhere more safe and more pleasant than poor unfortunate, chronically mismanaged Limwreck ;)

    Have you any interest in entering the run yourself Raiser? Running stimulates endorphin production you might be familiar with the term "runner's high," which refers to the euphoric feeling one sometimes gets when exercising. Perhaps a bit of running might cheer you up a bit.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    gaf1983 wrote: »
    Have you any interest in entering the run yourself Raiser? Running stimulates endorphin production you might be familiar with the term "runner's high," which refers to the euphoric feeling one sometimes gets when exercising. Perhaps a bit of running might cheer you up a bit.

    Would have to be a longer run than a marathon I think.


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