Stellar line-up plays for Laughs

Artscape: American-Italian comedy star Dom Irrera may look and talk like he's just walked off the set of The Sopranos, but when it comes to Kilkenny he's a pussycat. That's why he jumped on a plane and flew to Dublin for one night just to host the launch of the Smithwick's Cat Laughs Comedy Festival at the Shelter, Vicar Street, on Tuesday.

With a new sponsor - well, not quite new; Smithwick's sponsored the first Cat Laughs in 1994, before Murphy's took over until last year - and a new associate director in comedian Eddie Bannon, the festival is looking in particularly good shape this year, and director and producer Richard Cook and Lynn Cahill were quietly confident at the launch.

The star line-up in Kilkenny on the June Bank Holiday weekend includes Bill Bailey, Dylan Moran, Ardal O'Hanlon, Rich Hall, Maria Bamford, Lewis Black, Dara O'Briain, Tommy Tiernan, Mike Wilmot, Ed Byrne, lots of other festival favourites and a number of new faces hunted down by Cook.

As well as stand-up, there's what could be the last hurrah of the long-standing Best of Irish Improv group, plus the Funny Girls team, which has been making a mark at venues around the country. Owen O'Neill brings his new solo show, Chasing My Tale, a "best of" selection from his funny and bittersweet theatre shows. And Andy Kindler's Guide To Hollywood promises to teach audiences how to sell out and become a showbiz success by going for the lowest common denominator.

There was a mini-gig at this week's launch from a stellar line-up: joining Dom Irrera were Dara O'Briain, Ed Byrne, Deirdre O'Kane, Fred MacAulay and Owen O'Neill.

O'Kane, who brought her gorgeous new baby daughter, Holly, talked wittily about the tribulations of being a novice mum, and O'Briain, based very successfully in England for the past few years, movingly discussed Ireland's new sophistication - typified by the fact that you can now get the full Irish breakfast in a baguette.

Details and booking: 056-7763837, www.smithwickscatlaughs.com

Early days

Feile X is the title of this year's Galway Early Music Festival, which celebrates its "X", or 10th anniversary, this month, writes Lorna Siggins. Opportunities to hear the Irish wire-strung harp, to listen to 16th- and 17th-century Italian polychoral music and to see legendary early-music performer Jordi Savall are highlights of the programme, which runs from May 26th to 29th.

The wire-strung harp was played from earliest times up to the 17th century, and will be used in a concert of 17th-century Irish and European music by The Irish Consort at St Nicholas's Collegiate Church on May 26th. On Friday, May 27th, Jordi Savall will play with Rolf Lislevand (historical guitar), also in St Nicholas's.

Later on the Friday, a candlelit concert, In the Company of Mars, by 14th-century composer Johannes Ciconia, will be performed by Liber unUsualis. The songs that make up this piece are described in the festival programme as "bubbling over with unimaginable energy, wild harmonic contrast, and death-defying ornamentation".

The Gombeens will stage a free family event on Saturday, May 28th in the King's Head, based on the traditional story, while The York Waits will perform 16th- and 17th-century consort music that evening. On the Sunday, William Henry will lead a walking tour of medieval Galway, and a vespers will be held for the feast of St Mark, sung by Resurgam with the Galway Choral Association Youth Choirs and the choir of St Nicholas Collegiate Church.

The programme includes workshops, street events and exhibitions, including one in the Fisheries Tower on the festival's 10-year progress. The committee is also reproducing a medieval map of Galway by the late Peggy Dooley, who died in 2001. It is described as more than a map, a "painting" in fact, with "many Dooley touches".

Galway Early Music Festival, 60 Prospect Hill, Galway. Tel: 087-9305506; website: www.galwayearlymusic.com; e-mail: info@galwayearlymusic.com

Is Temple Bar a cultural quarter or a drinking quarter?

Willie White, artistic director of Project Arts Centre, took a stand last week against those who attack it unfairly. "A vibrant arts and cultural quarter is an indicator of a mature civilised city and influences how Dublin is perceived abroad," he said. "In the same way that the city needs a Croke Park or a Lansdowne Road to support the athletic self-expression of the nation, it also needs playing fields for the imagination."

He went on to criticise sensational media coverage of Temple Bar. "The problems of Temple Bar are those of many city centres, but this part of Dublin city offers a convenient label to attach to problems that are not unique to the area."

White praised the local business and cultural community for facing up to the area's problems. White, an elected board member of TASCQ (Traders in the Area Supporting the Cultural Quarter) was speaking to members of Dublin Chamber of Commerce at a Business After Hours event in SS Michael and John.

A public interview next Thursday with Elaine Feinstein, prize-winning poet, novelist and Ted Hughes biographer, is one highlight of Bealtaine in the fourth year of the festival that celebrates creativity in older age. Others include the Cape Clear Project: Bóithrín na Smaointe, with actor Nuala Hayes documenting the memories, stories and beliefs of the older generation of islanders from the magical Cape Clear.

There will also readings by Michéal Ó'Muircheartaigh and Jennifer Johnston; an introduction to contemporary art through drawing, as part of IMMA's Charcoal and Chocolate programme; a celebration on film of two of Ireland's finest visual artists, Tony O'Malley and Patrick Scott; and the Bealtaine Film Tour, which will bring Calendar Girls to dozens of venues.

Details from local libraries, the Bealtaine Festival phone line (1890-212121 or 01-8057709) or Age and Opportunity's website, www.olderinireland.ie

One of Galway's most intriguing architectural landmarks has got a new lease of life as a site for innovative art projects. The Fishery Tower at Wolfe Tone Bridge was built in 1852 by the Ashworth family as a draft netting station and as a lookout for monitoring fish stocks. It fell into disrepair in the 1970s but has now been restored, complete with sash windows and the original stained glass. Galway Civic Trust, which leases the building, and Galway City Council Arts Office are offering space to artists during spring and autumn (it's a fisheries museum in summer). For details, contact Galway City Arts Office (091-536546) or Galway Civic Trust (091-564946).

Also adding to the exhibition outlets is Ard Bia restaurant in Quay Street. Aoibheann McNamara has shown contemporary work at Ard Bia for a few years - a recent show was of paintings by Fiona Dowling, shortlisted for the Golden Fleece Awards - and is now inviting artists to apply for exhibition space and to sell art on its website, www.ardbia.com. Applications with biography and CD-rom to Ard Bia, 2 Quay Street, Galway, or ardbia@lycos.com, or 087-2368648.

Druid this week named Thomas Conway as its new writing manager, with a key role in commissioning, developing and assessing new work. As a director of the Everyman Palace Studio, he adjudicated the 05 Commission, administered New Voices and was regional producer for the NT Shell Connections festival. He is working with Raymond Keane and Judy Hegarty Lovett on a devised Barabbas piece this month.