Arts Festival ticket sales set to top 200,000 again

Tickets sales for the Galway International Arts Festival have picked up considerably since the Republic of Ireland was knocked out of the European Championships.

Artistic Director, Paul Fahy, said people are often distracted by World Cups and European Championships but sales were boosted again when Ireland’s interest in Euro 2016 ended.

Mr Fahy said the festival is happy with sales to date, and is on course to match last year’s record breaking year.

“Any time there is a big tournament, and especially when Ireland is involved, we notice a dip in sales but it has picked up again. Last year we broke the 200,000 attendances for the first time and we expect that we will do so again this year,” said Mr Fahy.

Some 25% of the programme is free, including Insects, a street spectacle from Eyre Square to Spanish Arch last night and tonight; and The Scent of Sawdust a circus spectacle in Eyre Square next weekend on July 16 and 17.  Two of the ‘must-see’ shows in this year’s festival are previewing this weekend.

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO WATCH ‘INSECTS’ IN GALWAY LAST NIGHT

Arlington by Enda Walsh will run for 21-days in total at Leisureland in Salthill a venue that hasn’t been used in years by the festival. Its world premiere is this Monday.

Invitation to a Journey is currently previewing at Black Box Theatre, and sales are brisk.

It is “stunningly beautiful”, he said, and is a mixture of dance, theatre and music.

Mr Fahy said he would be “hoping to hit the road” with both Arlington and Invitation to a Journey, and Death at Intervals at an Taibhdhearc.

Waiting for Godot at Druid is sold out.

The iconic festival big top at Fisheries Field will appear on the Galway skyline over the coming days.

The Gloaming is sold out and Elvis Costello, the first gig, is selling fast. “People would want to get their skates on for Elvis Costello,” he said.

The festival Gallery at Connacht Tribune print works on Market Street, officially opens this Sunday from 4pm.

It is an exhibition of paintings from Hughie O’Donoghue entitled One Hundred Years and Four Quarters.

The Bailey Allen Hall at NUI Galway has been transformed for Making Ireland Modern while the NUIG university art gallery hosts Spectres of Modernity.  The visual art shows are free.

The official launch of the arts festival takes place this coming Monday at the Radisson Hotel at 9.30pm.

Bookings can be made online at www.giaf.ie; at 566577; and in person at the festival kiosk in Eyre Square and at its box office at Galway tourist office on Forster Street.