Aislinn Ó hEocha grew up in Galway, graduating from NUIG with a BA Hons in Italian and Economics. In her broad role at Baboró, she oversees all areas of the organisation, as well as curating the annual international festival in October each year and developing supports which encourage Irish artists to create work for children.
What do you enjoy most about working with children?
I love meeting a range of different children through Baboró. I am constantly blown away by their big imaginations that know no bounds, brilliant insights, generosity of spirit and openness to new experiences and people. One of my favourite moments in the festival is having a first glimpse of hundreds of children snaking through the city hand in hand as they make their way to venues and galleries – the excitement is palpable.
Describe your ideal day in Galway:
A swim at Ladies Beach followed by a hearty brunch cooked by my husband while I flick through the Saturday Irish Times with a coffee. The children and I would bring our dog Penny for a walk and a swim by the River Corrib. I would mooch around town, followed by a show with friends and dinner in one of Galway’s fabulous eateries. We have so many festivals and great venues that there’s always something interesting to see and do.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My mum Daiden, who we sadly lost in 2020, did ground-breaking volunteer work with Ability West. She was a loving Mum, a glamorous host and loved to fish on Lough Corrib. She and my Dad travelled widely and lived life to the full, with a contagious ‘Joie de Vivre attitude. Whenever I’m procrastinating, I wonder what Mum would say, and the answer is usually ‘go for it – seize the day!’
Baboró is just around the corner. What can people expect from this year’s festival?
Baboró is back in style this year! We will have a full programme of over 50 live events across the city and county for an extended festival of 10 days. The programme caters to children from 0 to 12 years old and is bursting with dance, theatre, music, art and workshops. As well as events in theatres and galleries around the city, we are bringing shows out to schools around the county and special schools and libraries around the city. There are many shows, especially for under 6s this year – they always sell out first, so be sure to book early!
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