Minister O’Donovan approves funding of over €182,500 for Co-operation with Northern Ireland Scheme 2025
- Published on: 28 July 2025
- Last updated on: 29 July 2025
The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, has today announced a series of grants under the Co-operation with Northern Ireland Scheme operated by his department. Minister O’Donovan has approved allocations amounting to €182,721 to support cultural projects with significant cross-border elements.
Small self-contained projects funded under the scheme seek to enhance, celebrate or commemorate the artistic, cultural, musical, film or heritage of the Island of Ireland on a North/South basis.
Applications were invited for projects that helped to promote:
- co-operation and joint initiatives between organisations and institutions on a North/South basis;
- cultural tourism on a North/South basis;
- the provision of cultural outreach programmes on a North/South basis
Fifteen projects were successful and will receive funding up to a maximum of €15,000. These successful applications related to festivals, dance performances and video projects and the funding awarded will support cross border cultural exchanges at community level. Projects include the Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company’s “Tradition and Beyond 2025” event, which will celebrate the rich developments in dance and performance emerging from Irish traditional dance; and the “An Chruit Bheo” project run by Cruit Éireann - a joint north-south project which celebrates the heritage of Irish harping on the island of Ireland.
Speaking today, Minister O’Donovan said:
"The Co-operation with Northern Ireland Scheme supports groups working together across the border on their shared interests in diverse cultural initiatives. The support scheme encourages local communities to consider opportunities for partnership in their projects and highlights the possibility to engage wider audiences with their cultural presentations. I hope the co-operation will not only enrich these projects but also contribute to new relationships and enduring friendships along the way.
"It is my pleasure today to announce funding of €182,721 towards these interesting and varied expressions of the Arts, to contribute towards enhanced cross border exchanges and to support the creativity and talent that can be shared and enjoyed across the island of Ireland."