Niall Stanage - an Irish reporter inside the Obama campaign

Thu, Jul 09, 2009

“WATCHING BARACK Obama get to The White House was such a one-off experience. For him to go from such obscurity to the highest political position in the world in such as short space time was an unparalleled journey in American politics.”

So says Belfast-born, New York-based, political journalist Niall Stanage who had a unique inside view of the 2008 US presidential campaign through his work with The New York Observer, The Guardian, and The Sunday Business Post.

Kronos Quartet to perform new music by Damon Albarn in Galway

Thu, Jul 09, 2009

A NEW piece of music composed by Blur’s Damon Albarn will receive its fist live performance by The Kronos Quartet in the Radisson SAS Hotel on Tuesday.

Looking back on twenty-one years of the Galway Film Fleadh

Thu, Jul 09, 2009

THROUGHOUT TODAY and this weekend the Galway Film Fleadh will be in full swing, screening feature films, premieres, documentaries, shorts, and animation, in this, its 21st year.

Galway-African thriller to be screened at fleadh

Thu, Jul 09, 2009

RAPT IN Éire, a new film from producer/director Akibor Emihian, to be shown at the Galway Film Fleadh, is possibly the first movie produced and directed by a non-EU immigrant in Ireland.

Rapt in Éire tells the story of Nigerian academic Dr Clifford Oyenma, who is seeking a new opportunity in Ireland. As Dr Clifford struggles to find work, he receives a lucrative but dangerous job linked to drugs and crime.

The story of Aindrias de Staic

Thu, Jul 09, 2009

SHTAX: A Homecoming, a feature documentary about actor and musician Aindrias de Staic, will be shown tonight in the Cinemobile, outside the Town Hall Theatre at 9pm, as part of the Galway Film Fleadh.

Oil, gas, protests, and debate

Thu, Jul 09, 2009

FOR MORE than 50 years, communities along the Niger Delta have protested against oil extraction in the region. Their stories, as well as those of younger, more militantly minded protesters, will be told in the documentary Sweet Crude.

How a school produced extraordinary Irishmen

Thu, Jul 09, 2009

THE ROMAN Catholics of Northern Ireland have very little to thank British governments for, except a piece of legislation, which would help empower a generation to speak out against discrimination of Catholics in Ulster.

In 1947 a British Act of Parliament granted free secondary education to Northern Irish children for the first time. Those born into working class and poverty stricken areas now had hope, and among the first generation to benefit from this legislation were Seamus Heaney, John Hume, Phil Coulter, Paul Brady, Bishop Edward Daly, former ambassador James Sharkey, and Brian Friel.

New York Dolls

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

IT IS 1970 in New York. Five guys are bored with the music they hear, the fashion they see on the streets, and the pace of life. They decide to join forces as a rock’n’roll band, inject some mischief into music, and most of all, be themselves and live their lives as they want to. They are the New York Dolls.

Booker T - music from deep in the soul

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

“MUSIC IS just way down deep in my soul. I can’t separate it from who I am. There is always musical activity in my mind. I always have fresh ideas and I hope it never stops. It’s a pleasure to be a musician.”

Galway helps Cuban pianos play in tune

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

A COUPLE of years ago the Black Box Theatre hosted a concert of Cuban music to raise funds for an initiative An Spidéal based piano tuner Ciaran Ryan was developing in Cuba.

Making the global economy personal

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

ROY KOCH was an Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association member and a worker at Northwest Airlines. He never expected to one day become a travelling detective, investigating where his job went.

In 2005, 4,400 mechanics, custodians, and cleaners at Northwest Airlines went on strike. The company wanted to lay off 53 per cent of its union and outsource their jobs.

Circa - an Australian perspective

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

AUSTRALIA’S CIRCA company has wowed Galway Arts Festival audiences for each of the last two years with their breath-taking displays of physical grace and virtuosity. Their new show, Furioso, which marks Circa’s third festival appearance, will be eagerly awaited.

Tommy Tiernan vows to ‘steer clear of the ditch’

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

TOMMY TIERNAN would like to avoid controversy when performing his new show, provisionally titled Eh, during the Galway Arts Festival, but as he admits’ himself “no subject is out of bounds” and “God knows what will happen when I go on stage”.

Unchained Melodies

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

SINGER-SONGWRITER Pearse McGloughlin plays Amnesty International’s Unchained Melodies at the Freedom Café this evening at 6pm.

Pearse is currently touring his debut album Busy Whisper which has been described as “touching and sensitively unguarded” by the English indie webzine Losing Today. Admission is free.

Celebrate US Independence Day @ Coyotes

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

SATURDAY JULY 4 is when the US celebrates it’s Independence Day and Galway can do so too at Coyotes, on Forster Street.

Tomorrow from 8pm will be ‘ladies night’ with Ann Summers, champagne, special cocktails, and live entertainment. There will be prizes for the best American themed fancy dress.

Welcome to the wonderfully weird world of Deerhoof

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

INDIE IS a great place for the experimental pop brain. You can draw from any genre you like, but are not bound by its rules - making indie/alternative the best laboratory in pop and rock.

Ghundi launch new EP with An Pucán gig

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

GALWAY PUNK/hardcore band Ghundi will launch their second EP Bang Bang Heavy Heavy with a show in An Pucán, Forster Street, on Saturday at 8.30pm.

The band are Colin Finnerty (vocals), Kieran Griffin (bass), Evan O’Connor (guitar), and Darren McGough (drums).

Alabama 3 return

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

Alabama 3 (pictured) are coming to Ireland to play three shows ahead of their headline show at Electric Picnic in September. They play the Loughrea Hotel and Spa for an acoustic show on Thursday July 9. Tickets are €20 from Zhivago records, Shop Street, Loughrea Hotel, and The Turtle Tavern, Loughrea.

The Three Tenors return

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

THE THREE Tenors - Le Voci’ - le voci being Italian for ‘the voices’ - return to Co Galway to perform at the Station House Theatre, Clifden, on Saturday July 11 at 9pm.

Ice Age 3 @ the Eye Cinema

Thu, Jul 02, 2009

THE EYE Cinema in Wellpark is celebrating the release of Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs with family themed fun during the opening weekend.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.