Moves at Macnas

Galway street theatre company is to shed its corporate wing, MacTeo, in a "mutually amicable" management buy-out, writes Lorna Siggins, Western Correspondent .

Former Saw Doctors drummer Johnny Donnelly, who is general manager of MacTeo, is purchasing the business from its holding company, AceMacnas. The new company is to be known as Arcana, a name derived from a pack of Tarot cards.

The sale, for a sum yet to be agreed, was unanimously supported by the AceMacnas directors, which had served as joint board for both Macnas and MacTeo.

The separation will "allow both companies to concentrate exclusively in developing their particular areas of expertise", the organisations said in a joint statement yesterday.

Macnas, formed 21 years ago as part of the Galway Arts Festival, is a community-focused, not-for-profit arts organisation.

It employs four full-time and two part-time staff and four people on community employment schemes.

The organisation has a pool of freelance artists, technicians and performers.

MacTeo, which is 12 years old, is a limited company and undertakes entertainment and production commissions for State and private companies.

It has five full-time staff and up to 35 artists are hired at various stages of the year.

It is best known for its work at major events such as the Ryder Cup opening ceremony last year and the Special Olympics.

It also undertakes a number of commissions abroad, and is due to travel to France shortly with Irish Distillers.

Macnas general manager John Ashton described the move as "a very positive step for everyone involved", and said he hoped it would clarify any external confusion over the roles of the two groups.

Mr Donnelly, who was Saw Doctors' drummer for 13 years before being hired as percussion director, and subsequently general manager, of MacTeo, described his move into the corporate world as "a further step into lunacy land".

It would allow Arcana to "establish a unique identity in the entertainments sector while continuing to build on its existing business", he added. Both companies are currently sharing offices in Galway's Black Box Theatre but the living arrangements may be reviewed as part of the friendly split.