Unique Inish – an island festival with big plans

Arts Week with Judy Murphy

Inishbofin Island has long punched above its weight when it comes to cultural matters, and if local man Peadar King has his way, that’s set to continue and grow.

Peadar is the driving force behind the Inish Festival, now in its second year, which will take place on Bofin from June 2-5.

With musicians, writers film-makers and academics from all over the world taking part, accommodation on the North Connemara island is already as scarce as hens’ teeth – but people who can’t find a bed will eventually be able to watch Inish’s events online, as everything will be filmed.

Inish began last year on a shoestring budget, with a grant of €500 from Galway County Council and support from the island community. There was support from another source too, as President Michael D Higgins visited Inishbofin to launch the event and declare his support for coastal and island communities.

“We are very proud of the culture that’s come from Bofin and the culture that has come to Bofin,” says Peadar, a talented songwriter and musician who has a Masters in French from NUIG and who works as a conference organiser.

“My generation grew up knowing about [poets] Richard Murphy and Theodore Roethke and other visitors who had come through Bofin, and you’re aware that islands breed culture. If the younger generations can be exposed to great artists, it becomes tangible to them and they see they can do something like this.”

Island communities and people who work in the arts have much common ground and one of Inish’s remits is to explore that.

“A few years ago when the bad storms came, a lot of people were talking about why we needed to upkeep the islands and coastal areas, and talking about a connection between communities on the fringes and artistic activity. Neither should have to justify themselves,” says Peadar.

The idea for Inish had been brewing in his head for a while and it finally happened last year.

“I’d been talking to a lot of friends in NUIG about bringing academics to Bofin for a conference event, but it needed to be accessible as well,” he explains.

The idea is “to take the best elements of academic conferences and mix them with the best of entertainment from around the world”.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.