The events of the past few weeks here in Galway have demonstrated undeniably that ours is a city that punches well above its weight, for a variety of reasons. And our punch is the kind of sneaky disarming uppercut that our opponents are least expecting. The success of the event just passed has given us all a great confidence that we have the capacity to make this city and county a truly sustainable one, by playing on our strengths, compromising, and listening to, but not being dictated by the naysayers whose stance on each issue is always the same, who believe that each progression has an agenda and that there are more reasons why things ought not to happen, than why they should. Perhaps this is too simplistic, but the can-do attitude of the last few weeks makes simpletons like me think that with the right attitude and people, a lot more could be achieved in this city.
In a lot of arenas, heads need to be knocked together, backsides need to be kicked and compromise has to be seen as the order of the day. There are ongoing rows in the political, infrastructural, cultural, and sporting circles in Galway that hold Galway back. If only some bodies would be prepared to take a step back and be prepared to compromise, how much more could be achieved.
Would roadways be built to alleviate traffic, would the harbour development be constructed to the satisfaction of this and neighbouring ports, would Eamonn Deacy Park lie empty every Friday night as soccer fans kick their heels at home, would the arts community feel truly inclusive and not divided, would people run the risk of being mashed by a bus when safer pedestrian bridges could be constructed? I’m sure everyone could list 10 things that could be made better here if the mood was right.
I believe that in order to continue to punch above our weight, we have to play to our strengths and latch onto the people who can help us out of the current situation. One of those areas is creativity — we are blessed to have oodles of it all year round, but last week, when a million people came to town, they saw a hole in the ground where our arthouse cinema should be. Arthouse cinema is a terrible monicker as it suggests a monument to elitism, but it will not be that. Intead it will be the cornerpiece in the city's bid to become a UNESCO City of Film. For this the city must have a “notable infrastructure related to filmmaking”; “historic links to production of films”; tradition of hosting film festivals and screening; and depiction of the city in films. Solas which is behind the planned Picture Palace believes that the presence of an art house cinema will be an important component of a successful application.
Such a status will continue to attract creative people within the city walls and preserve the image of Galway as a creative hub well into this century and beyond. And while you may debate the virtues of culture versus the realism of modern domestic strife, there is no doubt that the creation of a creative community here in Galway benefits more than the artists, but is a key reason why so many multinationals wish to base themselves here in the city.
Galway is a jigsaw, made up of many different shapes. Complete, it is a marvellous vista. Isn’t it about time that this jigsaw started putting itself together?
