Weekend of sunshine sees Galway International Arts Festival off to a triumphant start
Compagnie Off’s parade of monumental red giraffes wending magically through the pedestrian streets on Saturday night was one of the highlights in Galway over the weekend. Picture: Andrew Downes, Xposure
Blessed with sunshine, Galway International Arts Festival 2022’s first full weekend triumphed with its packed programme of events, indoors and out. There were any number of moments in the open air to savour: the tightrope walkers crossing back and forth over the River Corrib in the Life Line project organised by Galway Community Circus; the participants in Guru Dudu’s silent disco walking tour breaking out to sing Abba’s 'Dancing Queen' to a hen night bride-to-be spotted in the upstairs window of Coyote’s on Shop Street; Compagnie Off’s parade of monumental red giraffes wending magically through the pedestrian streets on Saturday night.
Walking from one venue to another was also a pleasure. The city’s easy-going vibe is a legend in the cultural sphere, and artists always seem happy to be asked back. Several star acts have returned this year. Ana Maria Pacheco’s exhibition, Dark Night of the Soul, was a major highlight of the festival in 2017; her new show, Remember, at the Festival Gallery features several groups of macabre figures carved from wood, and is easily one of the best exhibitions in the country this year.
