On the Town: News that legendary guitarist John Williams is coming to Dublin quickly filtered around the room. "He's the man, he's untouchable," said Alec O'Leary, director of the newly launched Waltons Guitar Festival of Ireland. The four-day festival kicks off on Wednesday, June 30th.
"He doesn't usually do festivals. I think he likes the fact that it's our first festival and it's small," O'Leary added.
Williams, who is one of the world's greatest classical guitarists, will give a performance at Dublin's National Concert Hall on Saturday, July 3rd as part of the new festival, and will also be giving an ensemble masterclass.
Friends and guitar enthusiasts gathered to meet the festival's organisers and hear a sample of what's in store at a reception in Dublin this week.
Any initiative in the arts world "starts with a dream," said Barney Whelan, the festival's general manager. "I've seen that dream slowly come to fruition."
Then Clive Barnes, a self-taught guitarist from Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, who will be giving classes and taking part in the festival, played his guitar "lap-style" and sang a song called Kitty Twist, which included the line: "Why did you leave me lying here down in the withering pines?" The bluesy sounds settled over the room. John Feeley played Prelude No. 1 by Brazilian composer Villa Lobos on his classical guitar, and we were all ready for more.
Others to watch for in the festival, according to its artistic director, Michael O'Toole, include French-Algerian guitarist Pierre Bensusan and Paraguayan guitarist Berta Rojas, in her Irish début.
Among those who came to listen were Gerry Godley, of the Improvised Music Company; Marion Hyland, of the Royal Irish Academy of Music; and Deirdre Kelleher, a former president of the Feis Ceoil competition with her daughters, Bea and Ruth.
For more information, go to www.guitarfestivalofireland.com