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Is Galway Really a City of High Culture?

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    #32
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    Lol at the idea that Galway punches above its weight, Sligo which is much smaller provides almost exactly the same facilities, and have the Niland centre which no art gallery in Galway can touch. Maybe the arts festival is big (conveniently scheduled alongside the race week iirc) but one event doesn't make it a city of high culture, if it did Punchestown would be the capital of music in Ireland!


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    #33
    TristanPeter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭TristanPeter


    brianthebard wrote: »
    Lol at the idea that Galway punches above its weight, Sligo which is much smaller provides almost exactly the same facilities, and have the Niland centre which no art gallery in Galway can touch.

    To be honest one could compare cities in Ireland with regard to "high culture" till the cows come home. If groups/individuals are making an effort to host events etc. I think they should be encouraged and commended; not told that the are not as good as the next place. Galway would be a whole lot worse if it wasn't for initiatives like the Arts Festival or Music For Galway etc. Some people will always choose to see the glass half empty rather than half full. It's the fact that people are trying is what matters IMO. I'm not saying that Galway is or isn't of high culture. I'm just pointing out that this group exists. I don't really think the OP's question can be answered conclusively.


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    #34
    Madame Razz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,252 ✭✭✭✭Madame Razz


    I definately think that it is a cultured city with an arty feel; but none of this is in the highbrow sense; it's a bit more patchwork quilt than persian carpet if you know what I mean.

    Of course it would help if we had a decent theatre venue; the Townhall is a disgrace!


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    #35
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    TristanPeter wrote: »
    To be honest one could compare cities in Ireland with regard to "high culture" till the cows come home. If groups/individuals are making an effort to host events etc. I think they should be encouraged and commended; not told that the are not as good as the next place. Galway would be a whole lot worse if it wasn't for initiatives like the Arts Festival or Music For Galway etc. Some people will always choose to see the glass half empty rather than half full. It's the fact that people are trying is what matters IMO. I'm not saying that Galway is or isn't of high culture. I'm just pointing out that this group exists. I don't really think the OP's question can be answered conclusively.

    Ok that's fair enough, but I was just replying to the general tone of the thread.


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    #36
    siltirocker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭siltirocker


    brianthebard wrote: »
    Lol at the idea that Galway punches above its weight, Sligo which is much smaller provides almost exactly the same facilities, and have the Niland centre which no art gallery in Galway can touch. Maybe the arts festival is big (conveniently scheduled alongside the race week iirc) but one event doesn't make it a city of high culture, if it did Punchestown would be the capital of music in Ireland!

    The Niland & The Hawk's Well. And The Clarence (but that's streching it). Sligo doesn't even have a social space, unless you want a picnic on Rockwood Parade:rolleyes:

    Comparing is ridiculous IMO.

    High culture is probably the wrong word, Dublin probably gets that one. What Galway has is a high 'Irish' culture and bohemian nature that is alive in the city essential 24/7.
    Be it eating an ice cream in Kennedy Park watching par-cor & some dudes throwing a frisbee, on Shop Street having a pint in the Bermuda Triangle enjoying a guiness listening to trad watching Pat Coyne going spa or down SpArch, Long Walk or Nimmo's Pier on a sunny day shooting the sh1t with nothing to do, but enjoying it and the fire poi that might be going on in the background by the musuem.

    You just don't get that in Dublin (where im from) or Sligo (where i have lived for 7 years of my life).

    High culture? maybe not. But the amount of appreciation and spirit of culture in this city cannot be questioned, and an opera house by the docks or whatever will make no difference to that.

    Just my 2c. (Although this Vegas of Ireland talk is worrying).


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    #37
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    siltirocker wrote: »
    Comparing is ridiculous IMO.

    True I suppose. Galway IS my fave city to live in, but I'd have to give *overall* top arty marks to Cork tbh (for a mixture of 'high art', grungy stuff, music, street culture etc). In summer Galway overtakes it, but not year round.

    I heard Social Space is closing soon!:eek: Haven't been around, any truth to that or why?


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    #38
    siltirocker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭siltirocker


    inisboffin wrote: »
    I heard Social Space is closing soon!:eek: Haven't been around, any truth to that or why?

    When i said social space i meant Kennedy Park or SpArch or something like that as oppose to the place on Middle St called "Social Space".
    I haven't heard anything about it closing, personally i find that place to be a bit like an tobar nua, intimidating. Try DeBurgos if you like that kind of a groove, its like a "Gaf" for grown ups.

    p.s Surely Galway runs away with it in terms of grungy-stuff! Galway is capital of the pointless flannel!!!!!! lol!


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    #39
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    Ah nothing intimidatin' about 'the social space' at all (no particular religion!).

    Lots of folks use it, from the hippies to the well dressed grannies, although admittedly most of the volunteers would be of the 'alternate' ilk~! Be a shame to lose it though, it had some great groups and organisations using it to meet.


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    #40
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,760 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    So I think it's agreed that Galway punches well above its weight in terms of its reputation for culture and cultural events, but not "High" culture in the strictest sense (Opera, Ballet, Fine Art etc) but more bohemian and folk culture. And of course the Irish language dimension adds to this.

    I'm very surprised that Galway does not have a decent art gallery and indoor performance space. That should be sorted out.

    Do people think Galway city is overrated? It seems to me like Galway went through a golden age of culture and cultural energy between the late 1980s and early 2000s but since then this has been diluted by massive growth of population, sprawling housing estates and shopping centres springing up on the fringes of the city that are the antithesis of "culture."

    Is Galway now essentially a compact core of culture and tourism surrounded by a sea of mind-numbingly mundane suburbs?


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    #41
    siltirocker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭siltirocker


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    So I think it's agreed that Galway punches well above its weight in terms of its reputation for culture and cultural events, but not "High" culture in the strictest sense (Opera, Ballet, Fine Art etc) but more bohemian and folk culture. And of course the Irish language dimension adds to this.

    +1

    Spot on.
    JupiterKid wrote: »
    very surprised that Galway does not have a decent art gallery and indoor performance space. That should be sorted out.

    Performance space, the Black Box anyone? To lesser extent Nun's Island, Warwick, the garrison on Sea Road.
    JupiterKid wrote: »
    people think Galway city is overrated? It seems to me like Galway went through a golden age of culture and cultural energy between the late 1980s and early 2000s but since then this has been diluted by massive growth of population, sprawling housing estates and shopping centres springing up on the fringes of the city that are the antithesis of "culture."

    Is Galway now essentially a compact core of culture and tourism surrounded by a sea of mind-numbingly mundane suburbs?

    It kills me to read that what people on these boards believe Galway really needs is a KFC or H&M.:(


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    #42
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    Is Galway now essentially a compact core of culture and tourism surrounded by a sea of mind-numbingly mundane suburbs?

    Does any cultural city in the world escape these suburbs though? I imagine Paris, Edinburgh etc all have their satelite towns and social problems but these arn't seen by the tourist?


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    #43
    lightening
    Registered Users Posts: 3,125 ✭✭✭lightening


    siltirocker wrote: »
    It kills me to read that what people on these boards believe Galway really needs is a KFC or H&M.:(

    Where did you read this on these boards?

    And, yeah, ads by google, suburbs are a must, you're dead right, every city has them and funny you mentioned Paris, they must be the most horrible suburbs in the world!!


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    #44
    siltirocker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭siltirocker


    lightening wrote: »
    Where did you read this on these boards?


    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055714223

    and there is another thread a page or two before that, that hints of the same ideas.


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    #45
    lightening
    Registered Users Posts: 3,125 ✭✭✭lightening


    siltirocker wrote: »
    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055714223

    and there is another thread a page or two before that, that hints of the same ideas.

    Oh right, I see that... I guess if that's what people want, that's what people want. Wouldn't be a huge fan of KFC, was amazed to come across one in Saigon!! But, you H&M do offer affordable clothing. After all, it is a city! I guess a happy balance would be good.


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    #46
    TristanPeter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭TristanPeter


    Here's some of Galway's high culture :)

    I went to a performance by Mari & Hakon Samuelson (http://www.marihakonsamuelsen.com/artists.html) last night in the Aula Maxima in the Quad, NUIG. It was one of the performances arranged by Music For Galway. Anyway, it was amazing. Fantastic musicians, great venue, cheap wine. I'm definitely going again next Thursday. Last night was my first time going to a live performance of classical music.

    Myself and my niece in the photo along with Mari and Hakon Samuelson.


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