It was John Tusla, former director of the Barbican in London, who once said the arts matter because they embrace, express, and define the soul of a civilisation - but it could just as easily have been Ronnie O’Gorman.
Ronnie was an exceptional advocate for, believer in and supporter of the arts and especially of the arts in Galway. I first met him in Spring 1992 when I was appointed Manager of the then Galway Arts Festival and I was mesmerised at that first meeting and subsequently by his interest, knowledge and understanding of the arts, his empathy and support for artists, performers and promoters in Galway’s arts scene and his determination to assist those who were struggling to overcome sometimes impossible odds to create new and exciting opportunities - and audiences - for culture in the city.
Ronnie understood the importance of the arts for Galway and wanted to do everything that he could to help Galway one day become the major centre of creative endeavour and cultural activity that it is today.
There are many, many reasons for the emergence of Galway as a creative space of national and international significance in recent decades, and they have been well documented elsewhere.
However, one of the most critically important keys to the city’s cultural success story is the supportive role played by media, particularly local media, since the 1970s, with Ronnie O’Gorman’s Galway Advertiser so often at the vanguard of that support. Ronnie recognised the talent of Galway’s exceptional pool of artists, performers and directors and he encouraged and assisted promoters, managers and arts workers find, engage and develop audiences for often-ground-breaking activities and events.
In my ten years with the festival, my five years with Druid and my time in the Town Hall Theatre and elsewhere creating, managing and promoting events in Galway, Ronnie generously offered the time and support of his teams – his editors, his journalists, his graphic designers, his sales and marketing staff, everyone – to help.
Ronnie could see the big picture, and he could also see the nuts and bolts of what was needed to ensure the artistic and managerial energies in Galway’s cultural ecosystem were given every opportunity to succeed.
And they did and they still do.
Ronnie was a pioneer and a legend. He will be missed, but he has left a lasting legacy that will benefit Galway for generations.
