'Galway was a friendly, spiritual, city, so I decided to remain here'

Thu, Apr 27, 2017

In 2014, Galway saw the opening of its first mosque - the Mosque of Mary on the Old Monivea Road, Ballybrit. It was erected by the Ahmadiyya Muslim community which is headed by Imam Ibrahim Noonan, a man with strong faith and a fascinating life story as I discovered when meeting him for an afternoon chat in the House Hotel.

‘Long blond hair and an afghan coat’

Thu, Apr 13, 2017

THIS SATURDAY marks the 30th anniversary of the death of the legendary Galway fiddle player and traditional Irish musician Mickey Finn. His passing will be marked in a weekend of memorial sessions at The Crane Bar, from Friday April 21 to Sunday 23, featuring Mickey’s widow, Lena Finn, as well as Sean Ryan, Jackie Small, and Mickey’s brother Johnny Finn.

'Sex writing is like any other kind of writing; it’s got to be about character'

Thu, Mar 30, 2017

Perhaps I should start this interview with a disclaimer; despite our shared surname novelist Eimear McBride and I are entirely unrelated. Nor indeed, just for future reference, have I any connection to rugby great Willie John McBride, country star Big Tom McBride, or Brit-bashing ballad hero Arthur McBride.

‘Some people think ultra marathons are for extreme athletes but they are for everybody’

Thu, Mar 23, 2017

Galway man Richard Donovan is something of a superstar in the gruelling sport of ultra running. He has made truly epic runs across many of the world’s most extreme climates including the Sahara Desert, Mount Everest, the Inca Trail, and the Amazon jungle. In 2002 he became the first runner in the world to run a marathon at both the North and South poles and in 2009 he was the first athlete to run seven consecutive marathons on seven continents in less than seven days.

'It’s a crazy sort of atmosphere with twelve people playing different kinds of music together'

Thu, Mar 09, 2017

A year ago this month a group of Galway buskers got together for a jam session that went so well they decided to strike out as a proper band, and so Galway Street Club was born.

Alan McMonagle - voyager of discovery

Thu, Mar 02, 2017

NEXT THURSDAY, March 9 at 6pm, the Galway City Library will host the launch of what is sure to be one of the best Irish novels of this year - Ithaca by Galway writer Alan McMonagle, and published by Picador.

'The west end is a lovely area, like a village in the middle of the city'

Thu, Feb 23, 2017

One of Galway’s best loved businesses is Ernie’s Fruit and Veg in Sea Road, which has been a central fixture in the west end community for more than 40 years. The shop was founded and is still run by Ernie Deacy, ably assisted by his son Ernest jr and daughter Annemarie, while his other son, Paul, owns Bell, Book and Candle just around the corner.

‘I’m a rambler, a roamer, a gypsy at heart’

Thu, Feb 16, 2017

Midge Ure can look back on a 40 year musical career of no little achievement - co-creator of classic hit singles 'Vienna', 'Fade To Grey', and 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' and helping pioneer electro-pop with Ultravox and Visage - but this is only part of the Scotsman's story.

'It would be nice to see more poems about carpenters or blocklayers'

Thu, Feb 09, 2017

He is originally from Youghal, and now resides in France, but it was while living in Galway that Adam White first discovered his poetic voice at The Crane Bar, and he discovered true romance on Inishbofin.

He bangs the drums

Thu, Feb 02, 2017

He is only 25, and already he has recorded five albums and two EPs, with five different bands; established himself as one of the busiest and hardest working musicians in Galway city; and in the last 12 months set up his own business, creating customised drumkits.

‘Galway is the future and I like living in the future’

Thu, Jan 19, 2017

Galway’s arts scene has long thrived on the input of countless cultured ‘blow-ins’ who landed here from near and far, and then enriched us all with their creative endeavours. New Yorker John Farrell, who has just relocated to Galway, is well equipped to carry on that honoured tradition and indeed he is relishing the prospect of doing so.

The musical life of an ‘auld stock’ Galwegian

Thu, Jan 12, 2017

Anyone strolling near Tig Cóilí pub or around the top of High Street, might one day encounter the inimitable Johnny Mullins playing guitar or accordion, and beguiling the passers-by with his sweet sounds. A true ‘auld stock’ Galwegian and fine multi-instrumentalist, Mullins has been a familiar and popular figure within the city’s music community for many years now.

The musical life of an ‘auld stock’ Galwegian

Thu, Jan 12, 2017

Anyone strolling near Tig Cóilí pub or around the top of High Street, might one day encounter the inimitable Johnny Mullins playing guitar or accordion, and beguiling the passers-by with his sweet sounds. A true ‘auld stock’ Galwegian and fine multi-instrumentalist, Mullins has been a familiar and popular figure within the city’s music community for many years now.

'The focus in all my paintings is light'

Thu, Dec 15, 2016

Moods, Memories, and Mayo is the title of a new exhibition of paintings by Paul Guilfoyle which is currently running at the Kenny Gallery and continues until Friday December 23. It is Guilfoyle’s ninth solo show at the Kenny Gallery, a relationship that goes all the way back to 1993 and his debut exhibition, Looking West.

'You have to take life seriously. It needs more respect than we give it'

Thu, Nov 10, 2016

Kristin Hersh has a very definite memory of Galway, not the year, but of an experience of the city. “I played a festival here,” she recalls. “There were Japanese drummers, I was watching them at the Spanish Arch, with the sun setting. They were like trapeze artists, but without the trapeze. That’s my Galway.”

Re-imagining the city in a transitional time

Thu, Nov 03, 2016

Tomorrow sees the official launch of this year’s TULCA Festival of Visual Arts at its gallery in Fairgreen Road. TULCA 2016, which runs to Sunday November 20, will be the most ambitious festival to date with a programme of exhibitions, events, performances, discussions, film screenings and provocations.

One man's love affair with ice

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Doug Allan would make a dream dinner guest with his fund of stories from an eventful life. He has travelled all over the world, from the Andes to Africa and from the Antarctic to the Arctic. He is a wildlife cameraman and has had close encounters with whales, sharks, and polar bears. His screen credits include classic David Attenborough series like Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Life in the Freezer. And finally, he is a compelling and charismatic speaker.

'My vision is to put Irish food on an international footing with France, Spain and Italy'

Thu, Oct 20, 2016

Next Monday and Tuesday, more than 50 of the world’s leading chefs will converge in Galway for the second annual Food On The Edge symposium, to discuss the future of food with industry professionals and food enthusiasts from far and wide.

‘It’s all about me encouraging children to get involved with books’

Thu, Oct 13, 2016

PJ Lynch, Ireland's Laureate na nÓg, and an acclaimed book illustrator and artist from Belfast, who has won numerous awards for his work, will launch this year's Baboró International Arts Festival for Children.

Showcasing the best of Galway food

Thu, Oct 13, 2016

Loughrea based mother-of-seven is going from strength to strength. Although just over nine months in business, products from the Galway Food Company are now being stocked in 220 stores nationwide.

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