Culture

Galway has a unique culture, but we cannot rest on our laurels and we must build for the future. I will continue to work with Macnas towards the development of a new facility and also look forward to the development of the Latin Quarter in Galway City and also the Art House Cinema.

Galway is the most "Irish" of Irish cities with the Irish language heard on the streets every day. I will work with Conradh na Gaeilge and An Taibhdhearc and the City Council to provide a new Gaeláras, which can become a focus for all things Irish in the city. I envisage this as a cultural centre, which will include a restaurant, a Irish language crèche, meeting rooms, a theatre and many other facilities. Ideally, all of the Irish language organisations operating from the city would relocate in this new centre, giving critical mass to the Irish language in the city and strengthening the claim of the city to be a true Cathair Dhátheangach.

Such a development would be in line with the vision that will form the 20 Year Strategy for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language and would help strengthen the profile of the language in the city where much has already been achieved in recent years.