VROOM, vroom. It was action station at Belltable Arts Centre on Monday 5 when Minister for Arts, Gaeltacht, Heritage Jimmy Deenihan came to open the €1.26mn ‘new’ building. The grievous row between Michael Daly’s garage in the back lane and the centre during the planning process expressed itself in noisy engine work on a Fiesta when speeches began. Revs roared through artistic director Gerry Barnes’ address, that of Mayor Jim Long, general manager Peter McNamara’s and into chairman John Gleeson’s.
Suddenly, all was ciúnas arís, Antaine when the Minister moved on to the stage. As he concluded the launch of Autumn programme 2011 and state -of-the-art facilities, Mr Deenihan joked, “By the way, I don’t want to think of this place being renamed The Garage”.
Our Minister for Arts’ message was to advocate the expansion of connection by entities such as UL’s SAUL and the Belltable with the common people: “to transmit more of what you are doing to the community, translate that great energy to a wider audience”.
The Belltable Arts Centre, he said, “has a great reputation which is very important for Limerick”, a city he wants “to follow on from what Galway, Kilkenny and Killarney has achieved and build a future around culture. Let that be your objective here in Limerick with your very rich hinterland of material”.
Arts Concil’s Val Vallance and city arts officer Sheila Deegan attended the opening, as did fellow stakeholders Eoghan Prendergast of Shannon Development, past Belltable chair Cian O’Carroll and representatives from every theatre company in the Mid West.
John Gleeson acknowledged city manager Tom Mackey support over the years “as city council had stepped up to the mark in putting Belltable on the map. It is the cultural centre of Limerick and one of the finest buildings we have”.
Peter McNamara, who oversaw the works, and Gerry Barnes thanked all staff and front of house manager Mary Grace, the board, past directors and stakeholders Shannon Development, City Council, Arts Council, Sarsfield Credit Union, Government departments and solicitor Pat Punch; also the design team, architects and builders for their joint vision in creating today’s Belltable’s cultural and physical capital – “this intensive and extensive project”, as Mr Barnes put it.
Mayor Jim Long officiating at the opening of Belltable’s €1.26mn renovation were Minister Jimmy Deenihan flanked by general manager Peter McNamara, board chairman John Gleeson and artistic director Gerry Barnes.
