The Tuam Arts Festival 2006 is running all this week. The 10-day event was opened by Galway team sponsor and local businessman Tommy Varden last weekend. The town's young mayor, Sally Ann Flanagan, said the event created a sense of community in the town.
Over 80 events are taking place during this year's festival, which runs until August 27th and features local, national and international events performed at indoor and outdoor venues in the town.
"The fact that Pat McCabe is doing his show Radio Butty in The Mall on Friday is a bit of a coup for us as he doesn't do it often," said organiser Midie Corcoran. "The two-hour show is based on characters from his books, including The Butcher Boy, The Dead School and Breakfast on Pluto."
The Walls, who are just back from a critically acclaimed tour of America, performed in the festival tent on Saturday night.
Little John Nee will be performing his show, Limavady, My Heart's Delight, in the Mall tomorrow at 8pm and the stars of Des Bishop's hit TV show Joy in the Hood will perform on the same day.
On Saturday, The Hussey Brothers arrive in town to present Zeist Féist, a musical, interactive show for families.
The music programme features Tuam's own Stonelakes, Turps, Rí Rá, The Government, Cornerstone, Noelie McDonnell, YWKN and Subliminal.
Traditional music fans can look forward to performances in The Reapy Sessions by Éamonn Kitt, Keith Ryan, John Joe Ford and Mike Fahy while The Showband Show will relive the glory days of that era in the festival tent.
The festival kicked off at the weekend with an outdoor spectacle that celebrated the magic of Cnocmea, the mythical home of the Tuath de Danaan. There will also be dance, art and writing workshops and a fireworks display.
Other key features in this year's festival are the visual arts and features exhibitions by Mairead Brennan, Joanne Hynes, Johnny Ryan and others.
On Sunday the Palace grounds will play host to a free family day featuring live music, puppets, face painting and a craft market.
See www.earwigarts.com
