Galway City Busking Festival, Ireland 1985

Galway strengthens a growing reputation as a busking destination by hosting a festival for street performers.
Over 200 groups and individuals came from all of Europe for the Second International Galway Busking Festival. Many hitch-hiked for hundreds of miles in unusually good weather. According to Anthony Ryan, President of the Galway Junior Chamber of Commerce, the atmosphere in the city was electric.
Jim Fahy reports from Eyre Square where a group have come together for a spontaneous midday session. Busking is part of the annual Eyre Square Festival, with a prize of £1,000 for the best performers.
The life of a street performer may seem a precarious existence, but for Mary O’Sullivan, an accordionist from Miltown Malbay, its appeal is that:
I really enjoy playing on the street, because I love to get a crowd, you know just passing by, who suddenly stop and listen because it takes their attention and you know, that you can entertain people just like that in one moment.
An RTÉ News report from 23 August 1985. The reporter is Jim Fahy.

[@oghamstone5964]

I remember the long haired, denim wearing, guitar 🎸 playing busker well. He used to play for the queue for the cinema in Galway all those years ago. Great to see.

[@ryue65]

Terry Smyth

[@oghamstone5964]

@@ryue65 Is Terry still around?

[@ryue65]

@@oghamstone5964 hello. I think he passed away last year between August and October.
He always played outside the Claddagh Palace Cinema, till it closed. He was well liked in Galway.
Bren

[@oghamstone5964]

@@ryue65 May he Rest in peace. Thank you.

[@Discover-Ireland]

He died a few years ago. Lovely fellow lord rest him.

[@murphy9039]

Love seeing these old clips from 1980s Ireland, Thank you.

[@choctaw6838]

Galway is lovely .
Excellent video 👌

[@md-ps2hx]

Terry Smith died in August 2020 (during the lockdown) He was originally from Manchester, Smith was a regular feature on the streets of Galway and one of the city’s most loved buskers.
Terry regularly played outside the Town Hall and Savoy Cinema before moving to a more permanent pitch outside the Astoria Cinema. (This later became the Claddagh Palace and closed its doors for the last time in September 1995) Terry Smith played there for over 20 years in the 1970's and 1980's as people queued. Before making this busking spot his own Terry used to play in sessions in The Cellar Bar, The Crane, and The Cottage to name a few and went on tours to the US and Brittany with musicians such as Mickey Finn and Sean Tyrell. Smith also played with Luke Kelly and Paul Brady and was a member of two bands - The Spailpín and Dickler Fitz.
Music was not Terry’s only artistic medium, he also loved painting and took a degree course in fine art at GMIT. His artworks were recently displayed in an exhibition at the Art In Mind gallery in the Liosban Estate.

[@gvi341984]

When Ireland looked nice and not an extension of Tesco

[@corribnews2219]

God rest Jim Fahy and Terry Rogers at 1.45. --Kevin Whelan

[@Dhspat]

Hon the Tribesmen!!!

[@8nansky528]

I ADORE READING

[@Melvorgazh]

Iontach!
Lán le craic is dócha 😺

[@larsfrosznielsen3536]

Magic

[@8nansky528]

Brush ur teeth

[@johnmc3862]

What teeth lol.

[@8nansky528]

@@johnmc3862 IT'S NOT ur BUSINESS

[@slaneyside]

@@8nansky528 yours neither colgate

[@8nansky528]

@@slaneyside fitty dent sensitive

[@8nansky528]

@@slaneyside yours neither Colgate