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Week II

EILEEN BATTERSBY, the chief literary critic of The Irish Times will read at the next Over The Edge: Open Reading in the Galway City Library on Thursday May 25 at 6.30pm, along with Kathryn Guille and Chris Connolly.

HER SURNAMES are Irish, her parentage is Afro-Carribean, she grew up with Seventh Day Adventists, and she is an LGBT writer; Yrsa Daley-Ward is a one-woman rainbow coalition. This month, Cúirt audiences can savour her exhilaratingly raw and sensual writing when she reads at the Town Hall Theatre.

In terms of professional recognition and box office takings, the 1952 film The Quiet Man was a big success, the romantic comedy-drama was a gamble for Irish American director John Ford who was, until then, known largely for his high octane Westerns. The gamble paid off and Ford scooped his fourth Best Director Oscar for The Quiet Man. Though the film's stars John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara did not receive nominations, the film was nominated for seven awards and eventually won two at the 1953 Academy Awards. Its success was good news for Ireland, especially along the Mayo-Galway border, and the village of Cong in particular, where the film had been shot. Ford and his Hollywood entourage arrived in the west in the summer of 1951 to begin recording the film's outdoors scenes. The production had brought welcome employment to the area and the end result showcased the beauty of the region to a global audience.

Two superb young classical musicians, Anneleen Lenaerts (harp) and Dionysis Grammenos (clarinet), perform together at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Tuesday November 15 at 8pm. Expect passion, technical aplomb, and an exceptional chemistry between two dazzling virtuosi as Anneleen Lenaerts, principal harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic performs with Dionysis Grammenos, dubbed by one critic as “the new prince of the clarinet”.

Johnny Logan won the Eurovision for the first time, veteran republican Tom Barry died, retired international Robbie Keane was born, and Knockmore and Castlebar Mitchels last met in the Mayo senior club championship final. The year was 1980 and that final saw the meeting of two Mayo footballing traditions. Mitchels, founded in 1885 was the oldest club in the county, while Knockmore, though founded in 1958, were not registered until 1960. Mitchels had 24 senior titles in the bag to Knockmore’s one before the 1980 final. However, it could be said that the playing field had been levelled on the run in to the decider as both teams had shown recent good form. Mitchels had taken the 1978 title by a point against Claremorris and Knockmore were beaten finalists in 1979. Two early Knockmore goals in the 1979 semi-final had knocked champions Castlebar out of contention. Knockmore’s opponents in the final were the all-conquering Garrymore side. Garrymore had completed the three-in-a-row from 1974 to 76 (the last club to do so), and it took a replay for them to be beaten in the 1977 final.

“I’m a bit older and I’ve more to write about...I feel now that I can say ‘me’ or ‘I’ instead of ‘jackal’.” So said Conor J O'Brien, the gifted songwriter at the centre of Villagers in an interview with The Irish Times last year.

The dream classical duo of virtuoso violinist Chloë Hanslip and pianist Danny Driver perform at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday, April 7 at 8pm. In an age where dazzling violinists are increasingly the norm, Chloë Hanslip has left critics and audiences agog with her spontaneity, flawless technique and sheer elegance of playing.

ONE OF the highlights of the upcoming Vodafone Comedy Carnival Galway is The Simpsons Backstage Tour presented by series writer/producer Mike Reiss, which will take audiences inside the lives of Springfield’s first family, revealing secret trivia of the show, insane dealings with network censors, and lots of juicy gossip about celebrity guest stars.

THE CAUSTIC wit, high times, eventful life, and inner shadows of writer Dorothy Parker are all evoked in The Whistling Girl, a new musical show featuring the combined talents of composer Trevor Knight and actor/singer Honor Heffernan.