Great balls of fire signal start of Galway 2020

One of the flagship projects of Galway 2020 is called ‘Hope It Rains’ . . . but organisers will be hoping against hope that it doesn’t rain this Saturday for the long-awaited and much-anticipated opening of the yearlong European Capital of Culture.

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins will officially launch festivities at a free, open-air celebration featuring fire, processions and music at South Park in the city. A cast drawn from communities across the county will participate in the opening ceremony, created by Wonder Works, the organisation behind the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

Galway 2020 were blessed with sunshine last September in Eyre Square for its programme launch but the weather forecast for this weekend is mixed and Galway City Council has advised that “in the event of bad weather” on Saturday, the opening could be switched to Sunday. “If the conditions have not improved on the Sunday morning, the event may be cancelled,” the City Council added.

Organisers have said they expect a crowd of between 20,000 and 50,000 spectators at the field known locally as ‘The Swamp’.

Events began on Sunday when a mass of flame and sound flooded Clifden in a special community cast procession, culminating in the lighting of the town sphere.

Similar fiery celebrations were held in An Spidéal, Tuam, Ballinasloe on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and events are planned for Portumna (Thursday) and Athenry (Friday) before culminating in Saturday’s opening ceremony which starts at 6pm.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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