Such exuberant displays have become the norm for the Midsummer Festival, which has, in recent years,  undergone a notable growth both in terms of its overall scope and ambition.

An all-inclusive appeal is key with regards to the festivals continued success, with organisers keen to break down boundaries between audience members and performers alike. All-day outdoor activities, including one of the largest street shows in Ireland, the Lord Mayor’s Picnic in the Park (featuring Indian magicians, African drummers, boat trips on the river Lee and plenty of food and fun for all the family), meanwhile provide festive frolics for those to whom the more avant-garde activities do not appeal.

William Galinsky, as Festival Director, has personally overseen the recent period of intensive growth, and if one thing becomes abundantly clear from being in conversation with the man, it’s that things are only set to get bigger and better.

Born into the Jewish community in Leeds, Galinsky seemed destined for the current role he occupies as Director with the progressive Midsummer Arts Festival. His family were all involved in theatre, so it seemed logical that the young William would follow in their footsteps, which he subsequently did on enrolling in St Anne’s College, Oxford where he undertook a BA in Russian and Czech (with Slovak).

In his third year at college, William found himself behind the former Iron Curtain, an experience, he says, which left a deep, indelible effect on his view of theatre. “I really got into theatre when I was in college. In my third year I attended the Moscow Art’s Theatre as a visiting acting student. I was one of the first students to attend the there after the fall of the Iron Curtain and it was while there that I became immersed in a serious theatre culture. Russia is to theatre what Ireland is to modern literature.”