A special concert will be held at the Town Hall Theatre this Sunday night to mark the 30th anniversary of its opening. In those 30 years, some three million people have attended shows and other events there and at its sister venue, the Black Box. Manager Fergal McGrath tells JUDY MURPHY about past adventures and future plans.

Local talent will be celebrated this Sunday evening when Galway’s Town Hall Theatre marks its 30th anniversary with a commemorative concert featuring The Whileaways, with special guests Mary Coughlan, Leo Moran, Pádraig Stevens and poet and playwright Rita Ann Higgins.

All are artists with “deep roots in Galway and who have a way of keeping us grounded”, according to Fergal McGrath who manages the Town Hall and its sister venue, the Black Box on the Dyke Road.

Both spaces were developed during Michael D Higgins’ tenure as Minister for the Arts, providing badly needed arts infrastructure for performers and audiences.

In the past three decades, some three million people have crossed the threshold of both venues for performances, film screenings and other events.

In 1996, as arts minister, Michael D Higgins and then Mayor, Micheál Ó hUiginn officially opened the Town Hall, so it’s fitting that the former president and his wife Sabina will be among Sunday’s guests. So too will Druid’s Artistic Director, Garry Hynes, Deputy Mayor Alan Cheevers, the CE of Galway City Council, Leonard Cleary and Arts Council Chair Maura McGrath.

In its 30-year existence, the Town Hall has had just two managers, Fergal and the late Michael Diskin, who steered it in its early days, “laying the foundations for what we’re able to do now,” says Fergal, who has been manager since 2013, following a brief period previously when Michael was on a career break. “It was all new and he had to build audiences.”

Galway was lucky in having a thriving local arts scene and that has continued, he adds.

“In terms of theatre, we had Druid, then Decadent and there are more recent companies like Brú, led by James Riordan who is nurturing new talent as part of our Blas programme.

“We also have a necklace of festivals across the calendar in different genres. There’s the Music for Galway Midwinter Festival in January, Cúirt in April, the Theatre Festival in May, the Film Fleadh and the Arts Festival in July, and Baboró and the Comedy Festival in October. They all bring their own audiences.”

But it’s not all plain sailing.

“It has become much tougher for a new generation of artists who are trying to develop work,” Fergal observes, “and there is a shortage of touring productions.”

Companies like the Abbey, the Gate and Rough Magic no longer tour as they once did, leaving gaps in the calendar.

“We have responded and filled those gaps, including with music, comedy and increased local activities,” he says.

These include shows from performing art schools, which are bringing in new audiences.

Under its Arts Council remit, the Town Hall has a commitment to artists, and to promoting new work.

Some art forms, such as dance, classical music and opera need extra support, albeit that audiences are growing.

“We have the Irish National Opera coming in February, which will sell but won’t sell out. It’s a niche audience but we are building it,” he says.

“We are artist-focused but also audience-driven and that’s the highwire we walk,” adds Fergal of how the City Council-run venue, which also receives Arts Council support, is managed.

The Town Hall had its best year for attendances in 2019, but then Covid hit, shutting all theatre spaces.

Pictured: Manager of the Town Hall Theatre, Fergal McGrath outside the building which dates from the 1820s. It will shortly undergo a major retrofit to increase its energy efficiency. PHOTO: JOE O’SHAUGHNESSY.