Gabriel Byrne Launches Largest Ever Irish Arts Push In The U.S.

Actor Gabriel Byrne said he is determined to present the "new voices" of Irish arts, as he announced details of the biggest and most ambitious program of events ever to be sent to the US.

"Americans have a tendency to think of Ireland as being about certain buzz names," he said, "It goes something like this... Wilde, Yeats, Beckett and so on...and then U2. What's largely unknown is the rich history of what came before that, and what's happening now."

Imagine Ireland, a $5m year-long season of Irish arts in the US, has been a pet project for Byrne in his role as Ireland's Cultural ambassador for almost two years.

He admitted being "tremendously excited" as he launched the project, which is supported by Culture Ireland, at New York's Lincoln Center on Friday.

As heavy snow fell outside the large glass atrium in the Alice Tully Hall, a large gathering inside watched a specially-commissioned short film featuring Colin Farrell, Liam Neeson, Ellen Barkin, Aiaen Quinn and Stockard Channing reading famous Irish poems and quotes.

Over 400 individual events will take place this year across 40 States, many of them in cities never before visited by a touring Irish production.

There will also be major works in top venues in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Highlights include the world premiere of a new opera of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest by Gerard Barry, with the LA Philharmonic, and a 19-venue tour by Paddy Moloney and the Chieftains.

Gabriel Byrne himself will curate an Irish film retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

New and young artists like Julie Feeney, and dance company Rex Levitates will make their American debuts, while established companies like the Druid, Abbey and Gate Theatres are all involved.

The government is pumping four million euro in the initiative - money which Minister for Culture Minister Mary Hanafin says is well spent.

"Culture is the way in which a huge number of Americans link now with Ireland," she said, "It's particularly significant now. We need good coverage. We need good publicity."

Award-winning author Colum McCann, who is based in New York, believes the year-long event has taken on a new importance, since we've been "rocked back on our heels" by financial disaster.

"This is absolutely necessary," he said, "This is the cusp, this is the edge. This is the way that we have to talk about ourselves.

"We would pick up the papers here last October, November, December. The New York Times, The Financial Times, whatever and it was all bad news, bad news, bad news.

"Well the good news: it's not all bad news. It's not like we're completely down and out.

"Part of what's going on here is we're saying 'Hey look, all that time when the economy was collapsing, there were these young people dancing, people making music, people creating stories, making films, theatre and so on...and that's part of our story too.

"'We are not just the ones who got duped by Europe or duped by ourselves or duped by the economy. At the same time, there was a whole lot of good stuff going on, and here it is'"

The launch was attended by leading figures in the Irish American community, including speaker of the New York City Council Christine Quinn, Irish consul Noel Kilkenny as well as several leading arts figures.

But crucially there was also a large media presence, including reporters from most of the influential arts and culture publications and blogs.

Gabriel Byrne said the project was important because Irish culture has consistently evolved, in good times and bad.

"This in and of itself, is not going to put bread on the table, nor will it stop immigration," he said.

"But perhaps artists can lead the way, and lead the way for politicians to re-examine the nature of the society that we inhabit.

"Because art will transform a society as fast as a politician, in a more profound way I deeply believe."

Singer Julie Feeney will make her US debut as part of the project.

"It would be impossible to do without Imagine Ireland. Touring is very expensive even when you are doing it on a shoestring. So I cannot express how grateful I am to be part of this. It really is a crucial step for me in my career."