Going Native In Galway
One good thing about being on stage at this festival is that people get to know who you are a lot faster. I was on the panel talking about independent production for public service radio stations. I hadn't realised that we in Scotland are so far ahead of the game when it comes to this kind of thing. Seventeen year ahead of the game, in fact.
The session seemed to go well and afterwards I was invited to join my fellow panelists at the bar of the Raddison hotel. One drink became two then there were more new faces, more handshakes and before I knew it, I was part of a small gang of Irish media trypes that was straggling through the streets of downtown Galway in search of a resturant.
The centre of town has a very continental air about - almost French. I was told that it's one of the big tourist destinations in Ireland.
"People come to Dublin, drive to Galway and then go home."
It also seems to have its own bohemian/hippie quarter and, in that respect, it reminded me a little of Provincetown in New England.
Good food, good conversation and I must have answered a hundred questions about my Polish ancestry.
"We didn't expect you to have a Scottish accent," said one of my new friends. Yes, it's funny how people make assumptions based on a name.
One thing I noticed is that radio seems to play a much bigger part in the culture of Ireland than it does in Scotland or England. That may be changing because of the influence of television, but not very fast.
I like it here. I think I'll stay another night.
