Acclaimed local musician Eoin Dolan is calling on the Galway City Council to provide a rehearsal space to assist emerging artists.
Having recently returned from a tour in the United Kingdom, Dolan believes a facility would enhance the industry in the west of Ireland.
"Unfortunately at the minute we don't have a rehearsal space in Galway for musicians," Dolan explains."That is one thing I will be focusing on in the New Year, along with other friends, trying to get the council to put in the relevant resources and relevant space to get a place to practice.
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"Planning for the tour to England it was very difficult to find a place to actually play. It is the equivalent in sporting terms of getting an opportunity to play a match, but having nowhere to train or no dressing rooms, anything like that to get ready. That is one thing I'm focusing on."
A rehearsal venue would benefit so many people according to Dolan."Some people play football at different levels or for different reasons," he adds. "Some people go just for a kickabout or just to get out of the house to stretch the legs. Other people will be competing in tournaments or performing at a higher level.
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"It is the same for music, not everybody necessarily wants to tour or to record albums. Some people just a space so they can make a bit of noise for an hour or two or meet up with friends," he said. "There is a whole range of different things going on, it is not just making art for the art itself, it is to do with a person's wellbeing. I think that often gets overlooked."
Dolan believes more can be done to assist talented musicians in Galway. "Although we have a reputation in Galway for being a very artistic city, all too often a lot of Galwegians are limited to being the audience or spectators of other artists coming in from the outside," Dolan says.
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"We have some fantastic young musicians like NewDad and Turnstiles, all these great young artists coming up that are doing sold out shows in England," he said. "They are not really getting the support that they could be getting in Galway. It is about getting facilities. Once you have those in place great things will happen down the line, but you need to get the basics right to begin with."
Listen to the full interview with Eoin Dolan on this week's 'Cian on Sport' podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
