THERE was a disconcertingly nostalgic air about the opening of Galway's new Town Hall Theatre on Thursday night.
In part, this was because Druid which premiered a new production (The Beauty Queen Of Leenane by Martin McDonagh) on the same occasion - celebrates its 21st birthday in 1996. But in addition, two of the evening's speechifiers turned out to share not just the same name but a common past.
First to admit the association was Galway's mayor Micheal O hUiginn who recalled that back in 1961, he'd first met his namesake in the city's Taibhdhearc theatre. In those days, said Mr O hUiginn, his connection with drama was principally behind the scenes "but I'm happy that one who started in the backroom has ended up centre stage".
So who was the youth he befriended 35 years ago? None other than Ireland's own minister for fun, Michael D. Higgins, who still relishes the opportunity to perform before an audience just as much as he did when an undergraduate at UCG.
Now a player on a larger stage than in his student days, Mr Higgins eventually got to address the night's audience considerably later than the appointed time; guests were so busy admiring the new foyer (and one another's finery) that schedules were soon abandoned.
Among those taking seats in the auditorium were Trish Forde, late of the Galway Arts Festival and now preparing to direct programmes for Teilifis na Gaeilge, and Ollie Jennings, another former artistic director of the festival, back from watching the Saw Doctors putting in an appearance on Top of the Pops last week (it didn't help they subsequently dropped a few places down in the charts).
There was also an impressive turnout of playwrights, many of whom have been associated with Druid over the past 21 years; Tom Murphy, accompanied as usual by actor Jane Brennan; Billy Roche; and Tom Kilroy.
After the show everyone decamped to Peggy and John Bourke's Glenlo Abbey Hotel. While some guests preferred to use their own transport, the smart way to travel was courtesy of the Connemara Bus.
A 1949 vehicle which has been lovingly restored over the past four years by former Digital employee Hugh Ryan, this 29 seater now provides tours around the region on Thursday it also provided an excuse for further outbreaks of nostalgia.