THE French are being exposed to Ireland and its artists like never before hi summer thanks to L'Imaginaire Irlandais the six month festival of contemporary Irish culture.
Since the launch of the festival in March articles on Ireland have appeared in every major and not so major French publication.
Meanwhile on only line of the Paris Metro, a different Seamus Heaney poem is posted on the wall of every stop.
The latest in a long line of media coups for the organisers of L'Imaginaire was, a 19 page feature on, Ireland in the weekend magazine accompanying Le Figaro the country's biggest selling daily paper.
The supplement, entitled The Irish 1916-1996", opens with the question "Ireland fascinates.
Why and goes on in 10 different articles to cover everything from the 1916 rebellion to Irish writers, Temple Bar, rock music, the history of the Northern Troubles, the hopes for peace and Irish America.
This is typical of the coverage to date most publications have opted for general pieces, which as well as following the traditional historical, literary and touristic themes have also looked at the changes taking place in contemporary Ireland. Cultural and social changes, the position of women, the role of the church, the lively music scene and the revival of interest in the Irish identity have all been mentioned. In March, Madame Figaro, the newspaper's magazine for women, also called a special feature on Irish women including interviews with Mary, Robinson, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill and Catherine McGuinness, among others.
As well as interviewing Heany, Le Monde, the prestigious daily, has also had a 16 page supplement on Ireland in its travel section and a comprehensive preview of the festival in the culture section. And this has been the trend, throughout the French press in national magazines and regional and local papers, particularly in areas like Brittany where there was already a strong Celtic connection.
In general the reports have been overwhelmingly positive, describing the country and its people as "young and dynamic", excelling in literary endeavour and ultimately a great place to visit. However, it must be said some more traditional references such as "la verte Erin" and the mysterious island do linger.
In coverage of the festival however, there has been a noticeable lack of critical reviews, the emphasis instead being on previews.
DOIREANN Ni Bhriain, the chief Irish organiser, is not unduly concerned. As a critical journalist my self, I would look for that type of critical reporting. But I know that isn't going to happen here. It's not like Dublin where you put on a play and five, people come to review it. It doesn't work like that here.
But that doesn't take from what has happened. What you have think of is what L'Imaginaire Irlandais was set up to do to make French people aware of contemporary culture in Ireland And it has succeeded in that. It has allowed them to discover another Ireland."
Ni Bhriain's French counter part, Michel Ricard adds "One of the key successes was to offer plenty of different things, all round the country. So the press coverage has not just been in the bib daily papers, but all sorts of publications. Even regional and small local ones are speaking of L'Imaginaire Irlandais.
Those reviews that have appeared have, not surprisingly, concentrated on art forms in which the French excel, noticeably film. The premiere of Gerard Stembridge's Guiltrip which opened a festival of Irish film in, Paris, has been the single most reviewed event to date.
While reviews were generally positive, the tabloid national daily, Le Parisien, criticised it for being too predictable. Le Monde praised Stembridge for skilful "transitions" and for managing to convey daily life in provincial Ireland, while faulting the "lack of nuance in the psychological treatment".
The festival continues throughout the summer. Visual arts highlights include
. a group exhibition of artists, among them Shane Cullen, Willie Doherty and Alice Maher, at the Ecole des Beaux Arts (from May 22nd this will be opened by Presidents Robinson and Chirac)
. two exhibitions by the painter James Coleman in the Pompidou Centre, Paris (from May 21st)
. an exhibition, curated by the director of the Orchard Gallery in Derry, Liam Kelly, of artists including Kathy Prendergast and Patrick Ireland at the Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardht, Paris (from May 21st)
. an exhibition with artists including Barrie Cooke and Corban Walker at the Le Confort Moderne gallery in Poitiers (from May 11th),
. an exhibition by Louis Le Brocquy and Anne Madden at the Galerie Maeght, Paris (from May 18th)
. an exhibition by Ciaran Lennon and Michael Warren at the Galerie Anne Lahumiere Paris (from April 25th).
The Abbey Theatre's production of Frank Mc Guinness's Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme will open at the Odeon theatre in Paris on May 21st and the Presidents will attend as a double act on May 22nd, while the Abbey's production of Synge's The Well of The Saints opens on May 26th. In the first two weeks of August, the Festival Interceltique de Lorient music festival will have a special Irish focus, with visiting artists including Sharon Shannon and The Dubliners.
