Yeats gets a new job while councillors squabble over other ‘arty fartys’ out West

Cathaoirleach Seamus Kilgannon had barely gotten as far as item No.4 on the February agenda when up popped Declan Bree. He had a presentation to make. Chief Executive Ciarán Hayes had last month accused him of abusing his power via the media (that particular phrase had been omitted from the minutes but how and ever). It had reminded Declan of the title of a book, “Abuse of Power: Because Councils Can”.

It is an “exceptionally interesting book” in Declan’s opinion, all the more so considering the author, Julie Grace used to work for Galway City Council, where Ciarán used to work. Why, it even features our Ciarán!

A hum of low mutterings arose from the top table. Whipping it out from behind his back, Declan bounded over to Seamus and laid the tome before him. A gift to Sligo Central Library. The generosity of the man, I tell you.

The Sligo Champion has secured and read a copy. It proved quite the education.

How were things on the Paul Lemass front queried Declan a short time later, just stopping short of asking if there had been any sign of the infamous ¤750,000.

Yes, Ciarán and his Head of Finance Marie Whelan had met with Lemass and the Secretary General of the Department. Recently (oh to have been a fly on that wall).

Talks were going brilliantly. They met and talked about, er, never talking to each other again. Their respective teams would take it from here.

The mood lifted visibly when First Western consultant Enda Candon presented Sligo’s new 5-year Tourism Strategy 20182023. The one unique theme capable of drawing 100,000 visitors per year here was...Yeats, the man who can.

Yeats will be working hard for Sligo. He’s going to help us create 700 new jobs and bring millions into the local economy.

Councillors gave it a rapturous welcome. Tom MacSharry was glad to see it was ambitious.

Totally manageable said Marie Casserly. Tourism means more money in people’s pockets and money in the tills.

“It’s very important that at the end of the day there’s money in the tills,” said Rosaleen O’Grady picking up the ball and running with it. Yes indeed, they want as much fumbling in the greasy till as possible, thank you Willie.

There was shock all round at the prospect of Sligo Live getting only ¤8,000 from the Council this year however.

Tom led the charge, strongly supported by Hubert Keaney (for the Model) as Sligo Live founder Rory O’Connor watched anxiously from the sidelines.

Over the last 14 years Sligo Live had brought millions - millions! - into Sligo with the calibre of musicians they attracted. They now wanted to expand to 11 days or a fortnight this year. ¤8,000 wouldn’t even turn the lights on.

Ciarán wrung his hands. He didn’t “have a bottom drawer with a wad of money in it.”

Half the chamber wanted to defer things. The other half argued to vote it through and let Sligo Live take their chances with the appeals process.

It went to a vote. Passed by three, giving Ciarán another month to rummage around in that bottom drawer of his.

Joe Queenan brought working the graveyard shift to a whole new level when he clashed with Hubert Keaney over where to spend an extra ¤20,000 allocated to the arts budget last December.

Officials had, in the interest of fairness, divvied it up into four, between festivals, graveyards, estates and Tidy Towns.

Hubert was not happy. That money was intended to be spent entirely on small festivals this year, he reminded everyone.

He warned against approving the allocations. “With all due respect, burial grounds are going nowhere,” he declared, hands on hips. Joe nearly choked. Shouts of “withdraw that” rained down on a hapless Hubert who admitted that OK, “the head wasn’t thinking with the brain”.

But getting back to money, councillors would be far better off putting that ¤20,000 into festivals he insisted.

Making ‘no way’ motions with his hands, Joe stood up. They like to party in South Sligo too and “in fairness, the Tidy Towns and burial grounds do a great job” he gestured with a wave of his arms.

They mightn’t have Yeats, but they have “other arty fartys” out West.

This is the tail wagging the dog groaned Hubert.

Joe proposed the motion, seconded by his West Sligo compadre Michael Clarke. “We’ ll be here til midnight” despaired Seamus.

Back it went to a vote. Hubert the only dissenting voice. “Ye have taken ¤15,000 away from festivals lads,” he lamented. “You lost the vote,” scoffed Keith Henry, a young councillor getting ‘ boulder’ by the month. Hubert did his best. We gotta fight. For the right. To paaaaaaartaaay.