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THE MUSIC of Russian romantic composers will feature in Music for Galway’s annual January Festival which gets under way on Friday January 23.

When Christy Moore sings his well known song, “Viva la Quinta Brigada”, in honour of those who fought against Franco in the Spanish Civil War one of his sardonic verses includes the lines:

If you were watching the nine o’clock news programme on RTE One last Sunday you’ll have seen some amazing footage of flocks of starlings flying above Belfast, swirling and swooping in the darkening skies, looking more liquid than solid, twisting and turning like ink dropped into water. Starlings’ habit of congregating in the evenings is most common in winter, and the flocks’ numbers swell substantially at this time of year, when birds from as far away as Russia visit Ireland. Some flocks have been estimated to number over a million birds. Despite the huge flocks that congregate not only in towns but also in rural areas, the common starling isn’t as common as it once was: in Britain it is now officially an endangered species, its population there having declined by over half in the last 25 years.

One of the most colourful characters in the world of entertainment, Michael Flatley, is to visit the Royal Castlebar Theatre and Event Centre within the next couple of weeks. Unquestionably the most talented dancer of his generation, Michael is coming to Mayo to promote his Lord of the Dance show which starts at the Royal Castlebar on Saturday January 3. “I have heard great things about the venue in Castlebar and I know that I am going to be hugely impressed when I see the world-class new facility with my own eyes,” says Michael. “It’s a huge step forward for the people of Connacht as it means that elite shows and events such as ours can be brought to their doorstep. Prior to the opening of the new Royal Castlebar, it was just not an option for us to travel west of the Shannon.”

Ballina Film Club’s autumn/winter programme continues on Tuesday December 16 at 8pm, with The Bothersome Man in Ballina Arts Centre. Norwegian director Jens Lien's debut, The Bothersome Man is a surreal, idiosyncratic black comedy. When forty-year-old Andreas (Trond Fausa Aurvag) mysteriously arrives in a strange city, with no memory of how he arrived, it seems a perfect place to live. He is fitted out with an office at an accountancy firm, and a smart new apartment. The people are friendly; he even finds romance with the pretty Anne-Britt (Petronella Barker). But beneath the surface, there is something sinister. This clean, efficient, smiling town is entirely without human feeling. Dinner parties are strangely joyless affairs, where friends obsess over interior decor. Hot chocolate is bland. And anyway, where on earth is he? Soon, Andreas is determined to escape. Admission costs €7.

MICHAEL FLATLEY will bring his Lord Of The Dance show to The Royal Castlebar on Saturday January 3 to Thursday 8.

If anyone thought that all a country need do to preserve its freedom when its neighbours are at war is to proclaim its neutrality, then they have only to look hard at what happened to several European countries at the beginning of World War II. Ladies and gentleman of the whinge brigade, neutrality isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.

GLAM ROCK legends the New York Dolls and a major dance show by the brilliant Michael Clark, inspired by the Glam era of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed, are just two of the many exciting shows, concerts, events, readings, and exhibitions lined up for this year’s Galway Arts Festival, which runs from July 13 to 26.

The Football Association of Ireland has announced details of the 2009 under 15 international tournament which will take place in Athlone, Tullamore, and for the very first time, Mullingar. Among the teams competing are Belgium, Lithuania, Russia, and the Republic of Ireland who will compete in the four nations tournament from February 10 to 13.

Westport town councillors expressed their disappointment and scepticism as regards the early bird train service from Westport which will not go ahead in January but will be postponed to some time in spring.