It was really heartening to see a great force of people gathered outside City Hall this week to pour out their hearts and energies (and rousing drumming chants! ) to remind our public representatives that the Pálás is a civic amenity.
It is an entitlement of all citizens, and must be kept open. It was specially good to see so many young people with cameras, maybe documenting a first film or story.
Just twenty years ago, before some of you were born, we got the support of Galway’s former city manager, Joe McGrath, Galway’s city councillors, and the first funding from the Arts Council and the Film Board, and then from the Irish government.
The Pálás (in memory of the great old Claddagh Palace and the early days of the Galway Film Fleadh ) was always meant to be a public home for Irish and international film lovers and film makers; a place to see and feel the lives of the whole wide world.
It was a long and sometimes hard old struggle by Solas, which had the idea and began the work in the first place. Thanks to the clever advice of the city’s planners, the genius of architect Tom de Paor’s design, the ability of JJ Rhatigan the builder, and - eventually - the energy of Element Pictures, the place was made.
It was always intended as a meeting perch for imaginings and dreams and new ideas from everywhere, for meetings, for argument and communication, and for carrying on the cultural business of a free society.
It will take plenty of intelligence, resilience, good humour and willpower to make sure now that our public representatives understand their duty to support its ongoing good health.
That’s your honourable job now.
I know you’re well able for it!
Activist, and TV and film producer Lelia Doolan is the founder of Solas-Galway Picture Palace. The above article is based on notes of an address by Lelia Doolan to protesters outside Galway City Hall on Monday, January 13.
