Establishing a new scheme to grant-aid capital projects in the arts will be one of the priorities of Culture Minister Patrick O’Donovan in the run-up to next month’s budget.
Ensuring funds for the continuation of the Basic Income Scheme for artists will be another key priority, Minister O’Donovan said when he launched the programme for the Éigse Michael Hartnett Festival 2025 which takes place annually in the minister’s home-town of Newcastle West.
Speaking at the launch, Minister O’Donovan said he envisaged that the  grant scheme for capital projects in the arts would be  similar to that already in existence for sports capital projects and would help develop arts centres, theatres and other artistic infrastructure around the country. “We know the impact the sports capital projects scheme has had,” he said. “Hopefully, we will be in a position in the New Year to have a scheme that would allow community groups, arts organisations and the like to apply for funding to my department. We will start small and build from there.”
He also said that the late poet Michael Hartnett would have welcomed the Basic Income Scheme for artists which provides selected artists with a basic weekly grant of €325.
Launching the 2025 Éigse programme, Minister O’Donovan stressed the importance of the arts at a time of grave difficulties in the world and underlined the important part the arts played in the lives of  individuals, communities and of the country. “We need to remember what is important,” he said.
The chairman of Newcastle West Municipal District, Cllr Michael Collins  also spoke at the launch. “I know from being involved in various festivals and events over the years, it is always a huge challenge to reinvent yourself annually but huge congratulations must go to the hard-working committee to again produce a jam-packed and interesting series of events for the weekend,” he said.
“There is surely something there to suit everyone,” he added.
This year’s festival runs from Thursday, October 2nd to Sunday, October 5th in a number of venues around Newcastle West. The headline act this year is Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Glen Hansard who will perform in the Longcourt House Hotel on Saturday, October 4th.
Former Munster and Ireland rugby player, Keith Earls will be another guest at Éigse talking about his life and career on Sunday afternoon, October 5th with author and journalist Tommy Conlon while author and journalist Justine McCarthy will give her unique take on world affairs when she delivers the Hartnett Memorial Lecture.
One of Ireland’s best-loved living poets, Paula Meehan will take part in this year’s festival and poet and author Theo Dorgan returns for another visit and will  mark 50 years since Hartnett’s iconic Farewell to English at Springfield Castle.
Other highlights will include the outstanding uilleann piper Louise Mulcahy, playing tunes and telling the story of women pipers. There will also be the  chance to laugh out loud with The Six Marys. Other guests include author Roisin Maguire, poets Dean Browne, Natalya O’Flaherty, Robyn Rowland and Maire Saaritsa as well as singer Oonagh McMahon and food historian Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire. In addition, there will be a Poetry Slam, a Poetry Trail, a screening of Blue Road, the film about Edna O’Brien, a Ceramics Exhibition and a number of events for children.
Drum Dance Ireland will open the festival with a lively parade when scores of young and old take to the streets with drums and lights.
For all details and/or to book tickets, go to www.eigsemichaelhartnett.ie