The Galway Early Music Festival (Thursday, May 13th to Sunday, 16th) clearly aims to retain a sense of exoticism in its programme, writes Michael Dervan. The opening programme, "A Merchant's Progress", given by local performers, aims to provide a flavour of the music that might have been heard on a journey from Galway to Venice in 1620. The Altramar Medieval Ensemble's "Celtic Crossroads" programme (Friday 14th) is self-explanatory. And Saturday's major offering, called "Priest on the Run", promises to be "a whirlwind musical tour of Europe around the time of Antonio Vivaldi". It's given by the ensemble Red Priest, so called after the nickname of Vivaldi himself. Full details of these concerts (all of which take place at St Nicholas Collegiate Church) and the other festival events (which include street theatre, a parade, a candlelit late-night concert, and a Renaissance dance workshop) can be had from 091-845356.