Easterly gales and one of the wettest days in the west to date was not ideal weather for shipping a Steinway grand piano. Yet Míceál O'Rourke was happy to let his instrument face the elements last week when it was wrapped up in packing, lifted by crane onto the deck of a ferry in Galway docks, and delivered to the Aran island of Inis Oirr.
The concert pianist, who lives in Paris, had been booked by Inis Oirr's Arts Centre for his first of 10 performances in peripheral regions, mainly in the Gaeltacht, over two months. The initiative was taken by Ceol Aniar, the arts organisation run by Mary Hensey and piano tuner Ciaran Ryan.
And it may have seemed like an idyllic journey at the time of planning, but last week's crossing, with wind and wave right on the bow of the vessel, would have tested the hardiest stomach. "This is a submarine!" exclaimed Míiceál O'Rourke, as the vessel headed out of Galway Bay into the teeth of the storm, with a party on board that included tuner Ryan, his son, and a TG4 film crew.
It represents a new departure for the pianist, who frequently appears with leading international symphony and chamber orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.
"I had touched on Gaeltacht areas when touring in Ireland before, but it always seemed a pity that classical music appeared to stop at the edge of the 'Galltacht' or Gaeltacht," he said.
Apart from the series of public performances, dates have also been booked for secondary schools. "I want to talk about music forms, show some of my material and give the human side to the profession," he explained.
After Inis Oirr two nights ago, he had little respite. He is booked for Achill Island tonight and heads to Belmullet, Co Mayo, tomorrow evening. On Wednesday he plays in the Catholic church in Furbo, Co Galway, and on Friday he is booked for Dingle, Co Kerry.
Before heading for Cape Clear Island, Co Cork, next Monday, he has to travel back for the TG4 Saturday night Ardán programme. He plays Ring, Co Waterford on Wednesday, March 6th, Ballyvourney, Co Cork on March 8th, Rath Cairn in the Meath Gaeltacht on March 9th and Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal, on March 10th, finishing up in Belfast.
His programme of music for the tour includes Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, as well as music by Field, Ravel, Chopin, Schubert and Prokofiev.
The initiative is supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Arts Council, TG4 and Lyric FM, and tickets for all performances are at the door only.
Compulsion is the title of an exhibition of works from private collections of art on show in the Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street, until March 9th. Artists represented include Tony O'Malley, Camille Souter, Mick Mulcahy, Basil Blackshaw, Brian Bourke, Bernadette Kiely, Sean MacSweeney, Anne Donnelly and Paki Smith.
Educational tours of the exhibition are available, by telephoning Gill Power or Michael Dempsey on (091) 565886 or e-mail:gac@indigo.ie Regular tours are also available at 1.15 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday, and no reservation is necessary. The Galway Arts Centre is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and admission is free.
The closing date is approaching for the Galway Film Centre/RTÉ Short Scripts Awards for 2002. It is open to emerging film-makers with original scripts displaying a strong cinematic vision, and a fresh Irish perspective. Applications for films of 10 to 15 minutes' duration should be sent in to the Galway Film Centre at (091) 770748 by March 29th.