I THINK we've got as good a festival as we've ever had, said Galway Arts Festival board member Declan Gibbons during the week. Over at the box office, the festival's General Manager, Fergal McGrath, was declaring himself "a bit more relaxed than last year". To break even, he has to sell £185,000 worth of tickets by the middle of this week, he had sold £160,000 worth. Macnas's Rhymes From The Ancient Mariner was sold out, as was Trainspotting (the play), as well as many other events - there are still tickets available for - the Swiss illusionist mime troupe, Mummenschanz, the Brazilian/American clowns, the Fred Garbo Inflatable Theatre Company, and Galway's bluesy diva, Mary Coughlan, who plays a late night gig tomorrow night at the Big Top.

The Mummenschanz show is a never to be forgotten festival highlight, and the Big Day Out with Radiohead on Sunday is eagerly anticipated, but still this year's festival programme lacks its usual quirky but inspired personality. Declan Gibbons defends the method of programming by committee (the 11 strong board of directors) which was used this year, but some punters feel it weakened the programme. Gibbons admits that, in the end, the committee method involved too much effort on the part of members, who were mostly holding down day jobs, and so it was decided to appoint a Festival Director, Ted Turton, for next year.

The saving made on a director's salary for this year, will, however, add to the dent which is being made in the festival's deficit of over £80,000, which mostly dates back to competition from the World Cup two years ago.