Ballyshannon’s Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival has been named among the Best Festivals in Ireland winning the accolade at the National Festival Awards for the Best Irish Festival for attendances between 10,000 and 30,000. The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival claimed the award holding off competition from the Cork ’s Live at the Marquee, Galway Arts Festival and Kilkenny Arts Festival, for the Ballyshannon Festival to claim the second biggest award on offer. The Electric Picnic Festival won the National Large Festival Award for attendances above 30,000, with Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival claiming the National Medium Festival Award for attendances between 10,000 and 30,000, while Dublin’s Body & Life Festival were named Best Small Festival.

The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival was established in 2002 and since then has firmly become one of the most popular Music Festivals in Ireland , attracting hundreds of overseas visitors and in particular dedicated Rory Gallagher Fans to the North West . Among the leading bands to have appeared over the last 10 years at the Festival include Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy), Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), Rory Gallagher�s Band, Jan Akkerman, Julian Sas, the Late Ronnie Drew who performed on two occasions at the Rory Gallagher Festival and annual favourites Pat McManus (ex. Mama�s Boys), Johnny Gallagher & Boxtie Band, Moonchild and Seamie O�Dowd.

Chairperson and founder of the Rory Gallagher Festival Committee Barry O�Neill has greeted the announcement with delight saying �its absolutely fantastic news for the Rory Gallagher Festival to be named Best Irish Festival for the second year in succession in the Best Medium Category. Its an honour for the hard working voluntary committee but also we would like the thousands of people who come to Ballyshannon every year to pay tribute to Rory Gallagher. We are looking forward to the 2012 Tribute Festival, its going to be really good, the plans are going well. We would like to thank our key sponsors Failte Ireland North West, Donegal County Council, Guinness Ireland and Ballyshannon Town Council. We appreciate this award greatly and want to thank everybody who make such an effort to help in any way each year�.

Among the other Award winners are The Chemical Brothers for the Best Irish Festival Headline Act, Life Festival for Best Dance Festival, Fleadh Ceoil na hEireann for Best Traditional Festival and Electric Picnic claimed the Best Festival line-up.

Speaking from his London home, Donal Gallagher, brother and Manager to Rory said that �the news of the success for the Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival at the Irish Festival Awards is well deserved and Rory�s fans will be in particular very pleased by this news. I congratulate all the committee members on a fantastic achievement for the second year in succession. Ballyshannon have over the past 10 years ensured that Rory�s music and legacy remains strong and has became a focal point for thousands of Rory�s fans from all over the world to meet on annual basis, we are so proud of this award