At the opening of an exhibition in the National Museum yesterday, more than one observer commented on the significance of a Northern Ireland minister meeting a member of the de Valera family in a former barracks named after Michael Collins. Just as significantly, Michael McGimpsey of the UUP, who has responsibility for Culture, Arts and Leisure, promised greater cross-Border cultural co-operation in future.
This was Mr McGimpsey's first official visit to Dublin and also the first occasion on which ministers from North and South have jointly participated in public engagements; Mr McGimpsey spent his time in the company of the Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera.
They began and ended their day in museums, as they opened a new exhibition of Irish costume and jewellery at the National Museum before lunch and had dinner last night at the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Mr McGimpsey seemed untroubled by such observations and commented that "a rich culture is not only a testament to our past but also a symbol of hope and optimism for our future". Ms de Valera remarked: "The diversity of our cultural traditions will come to be recognised as a cultural and creative asset. Our museums will play a central role in this voyage of discovery."
After lunch in the National Museum, Mr McGimpsey and Ms de Valera attended a meeting of the North-South committee of the Arts Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland at Merrion Square. Ms de Valera said the two organisations provided a model of collaboration because they had been holding joint meetings for more than 20 years. This year, the councils are expected to spend more than £2 million on a range of shared initiatives to extend opportunities for artists, arts producers and audiences North and South.
Mr McGimpsey said he was familiar al ready with Dublin as both he and his daughter had been students at Trinity College. Referring to museum exhibitions such as the one he had opened earlier, he expressed a wish that such shows would cross the Border in future. Ms de Valera commented on the strength of the local museum network in Northern Ireland which could provide a useful model for this State. She referred to a large number of fields in which co-operation might come to be expected, including film, the performing arts and broadcasting. Each said they could learn from the other.
Mr McGimpsey observed, for example: "One area in which the Republic has shown the way is cultural tourism. That's very important to us: economic development from investing in arts and culture." With regard to the State's new £35 million Academy for Performing Arts, details of which were announced last week, Mr McGimpsey said he would be delighted to talk to Ms de Valera on the subject. "Our criteria are simple," he remarked. "Where we see benefits for North and South, we're up for it."
Although expressing a desire for future meetings, neither minister was clear how frequently these would occur, "but I certainly see them as regular", said Mr McGimpsey. "I've no inhibitions about that. I expect to be back here on a regular basis and Sile to be up in Belfast too." Ms de Valera concurred. "I look forward to many visits to the North; if we're going to plan a joint agenda, that'll demand many meetings."
The ministers also went to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, where further discussions on areas of possible co-operation were held. They then travelled to the Irish Museum of Modern Art at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, where they were briefed on the institution's education and outreach programmes.