Write honourable friends

Monday in Galway, and the wind was travelling through the dug-up streets like some invisible Macnas dragon, levelling everything in its path. Rain fell. It was a suitably dramatic backdrop to the opening night of Cuirt, Ireland's biggest literature festival.

The Great Southern Hotel was the venue for the official opening of the festival, which runs until tomorrow. The room allocated for the opening was big, and so was the crowd of writers and readers that came along. Michael D. Higgins, who celebrated his birthday the previous day, was being plied with good wishes wherever he turned.

Ireland's bravest and best-travelled woman, travel writer Dervla Murphy, had arrived in Galway by bicycle. She cycled from her home in Lismore, stopping off in Scarrif to visit her daughter Rachel, who features in several of her books, including the most recent, Visiting Rwanda.

Galway's current writer-in-residence, Pat McCabe, was holed up in a corner with friends Fergal McGrath of the Galway Arts Festival and musician Brendan O'Regan. "This literary festival is the best one I know," asserted Pat. "I'm here admiring the competition," quipped Fergal.

Janice Fitzpatrick and James Simmons, who run the Poet's House in Falcarragh, Co Donegal, had come for the week "with five of our students". Galway's arts officer, James Harrold, ventured the opinion that Cuirt romances seemed to be a thing of the past - but that was Monday, so things may well have changed by today.

Julia Sweeney, Paddy Sweeney and Kathleen Sweeney were also there, looking forward to reading at the Poet's Platform later that week: the first time that members of the travelling community have participated in Cuirt. "And the first time we'll have read our poems in public," said Julia, a bit nervously.

Seasoned Cuirt-goer, poet Moya Cannon was recollecting her best memory of past festivals: "Bernard MacLaverty reading last year; such a quiet, complex voice." Moya's namesake, writer Moya Roddy, was there with her daughter, 10-year-old Cassie, who's "a bookaholic", according to her mother.

Tom Kenny of Kenny's Bookshop was eyeing the room to see if there were any writers present whose photographs were not yet on the bookshop's walls. Paul Fahy of the Galway Arts Centre was moving at such speed that he seemed to be composed entirely of a long pony-tail of hair.

Among the visiting writers who were looking forward to reading later in the week were Jennifer Johnston; Welsh poets Gillian Clarke and Menna Elfynn; Scottish writer Derrick Thompson; and Canadian short-story writer Alistair MacLeod.

Gerry Galvin of Drimcong House was also there, as was Mike Diskin, director of the Town Hall Theatre, where many of the week's events have been taking place. Journalist Judy Murphy was minus her notebook for once, and harpist Kathleen Loughnane was minus her harp.

Also there was Alec Finn of De Dannan; Nollaig O Fionghaile of the Galway Travellers' Support Group; poets Mary O'Malley and Fred Johnston; Trish Fitzpatrick and John Kelly of the Galway Arts Centre; Ros na Run actress Deirdre Lermont; performers Conor Maguire, Charlie McBride, and Little John Nee; and Michele Viney of the Galway Advertiser.

Brendan Flynn, director of the Clifden Arts Festival and a member of the Arts Council, did the opening honours, and bid all the visiting writers welcome. "Great readings, great conversation, great craic, and great music - that's Cuirt," Brendan said simply.

The inaugural event that evening at a packed Town Hall Theatre saw Dervla Murphy in conversation with former chair of the Irish Film Board Lelia Doolan, followed by a reading from the first Saoi to attend Cuirt - the distinguished short story writer, Ben Kiely.

Dervla was asked what she did with all the mail she received from her fans. "When I'm working, I don't open my post for months. Then I'll read them and send postcards." Later, when a member of the audience told the crowd that Dervla's autobiography, Wheels Within Wheels, was going to be on the new English syllabus, Dervla said this was news to her. "That's because you haven't opened the letter from the Department yet," one wag suggested.

Ben Kiely, who celebrates his 80th birthday this year, read Home is on the Mountain in his magical, beguiling storyteller's voice. Afterwards, he expressed movingly how honoured he felt to be invited to Galway. "Ben Kiely, the honour is all ours," arts officer James Harrold replied, to lengthy applause.

Afterwards, a large crowd went to the Festival Club in Brennan's Yard Hotel, where manager Connie Fennell was wondering if she had organised enough sausages and sandwiches to feed the wordhungry crowd. Pat McCabe played the piano, and writers from all over the world settled down at the bar for the first of those legendary Cuirt nights, where lasting friendships are forged and conversations remain bright in collective memories.