"THE celtic mist was well known", explained Declan MacGonagle as he sat among Irish artists in a Beaubourg bar on Tuesday. Without a doubt, after this festival the stranglehold of Yeats, Joyce and the boys will have been broken in France, and MacGonagle's first aim, "to create opportunities for Irish artists" will have been achieved.

It is not credible, however, that the French will have come to grips with the real Ireland - and why should they? What we all want from countries we visit is fodder for our imaginations, and while it is possible that belittling stereotypes may be smashed, the smashing of the celtic dream would badly dent Irish tourism (and all the indications are, L'Imaginaire is drawing tourists to Ireland like a magnet).

It would perhaps be better to stop worrying about how others see us, and set about smashing the stereotypes in which we still believe ourselves. A blast of the Irish art in L'Imaginaire Irlandais would speed the process.