Taking a walk out to Mutton Island last week, the Claddagh resident said she was reminded of the summer’s imminent festival season when a fellow on an an eight-foot-high penny farthing cycled past “and nobody noticed.”
The former independent Galway West TD praised festival organisers and volunteers on 49 years of bringing the arts to the medieval streets of Galway, and their influence on strengthening the culture of a bilingual city.
The 300-strong, invited audience heard President Connolly’s view that “the arts need space in the life of a city. That should be public space, and dominant space,” she said, in what was perceived by listeners as a reference to many years of demands for a dedicated, municipal gallery, performance and events space when she served as a TD for this constituency.
The Shantalla native addressed the gathering only an hour after Galway city councillors voted to sell four acres of Shantalla parkland to the Health Service Executive for almost €700,000, plus a €1.1 million donation to the community where Connolly grew up. In 2013, Connolly seconded a successful motion introduced by her sister, then Labour Party councillor Colette Connolly, to prevent 2.8 acres of amenity space in Shantalla being rezoned for a primary health centre.
Flanked by Mayor Helen Ogbu (Lab ) who had just voted with a majority of councillors to sell Shantalla greenspace for hospital infrastructure, Connolly referred as gaeilge to the importance of having “spás lárnach pobail” (centralised public space ) which may be used, amongst others, by festivals and artists.
GIAF creative director Paul Fahy introduced Mayor Ogbu to applause, but her greatest cheer was for confirming that Galway city council has teamed up with the Arts Festival to provide a free, big screen showing of the Galway v Limerick All?Ireland Hurling Final at the Heineken Big Top in Fisheries Field this Sunday, July 19. Tickets sold out almost immediately.
The festival’s chief executive, John Crumlish, said his mission was to create a connection between arts, artists and audience, and noted that 70 per cent of festival attendees are repeat customers.
“We aim to bring joy, but joy is also a form of resistance at a time in the world where joy might be in short supply,” he said. Crumlish noted that Galway has been a welcoming city since medieval times, and that as GIAF approaches its 50th anniversary next year, he hoped it might run for a further 50 years, “and never lose that welcome”.
Crumlish thanked the festival’s sponsors and board members, and confirmed planning was already in train for next year’s golden jubilee.
“This autumn, the board will look at myself and Paul [Fahy] and ask ‘how much!’,” he said, to laughter.
The Galway International Arts Festival runs until Sunday, July 26. For programme and tickets, see www.GIAF.ie
