Colm O'Snodaigh, is a respected artist who affirms a strong representation in the Irish language, as a feature of his work. Kila, a very dynamic Irish group, with whom Colm works,will connected via work on the web sites and during August and September via RTV Mostar radio. Stuart Gray Organist and Choir Master at Saint Mary's Cathedral contributed 2 commissions in Latin, English and Irish for Droichead na nAmhran. There will be be an opportunity in the future, to present documentation about the project, at the Hunt Museum, in order to report on the outcomes of the work. Web sites have been established and are maintained as part of the process. One of these was set up for sound. Web sites will play an important role in development of the project. Links that play their part in activating use of different languages and aspects of education and artwork, will be made through the overall undertaking,enabling these languages and cultures to be actively connected.
In May, Young people stood across The Neretva, bringing with them lanterns sent from Ireland with words of greeting in Irish. from August to September, Artists from Ireland connected with people from Mostar by means of regional radio. There were thousands of little stars stored at The Pavorotti, which I originally sent to be a further part of the star bridge of 1998. It was poignant to have a star bridge for 9 days of this project in August-an appropriate use of the material, which with the lanterns used in September were woven into the history of the work.
The work of Droichead na nAmhran - Bridge of Songs took place during August and September 2001 in Mostar, BiH.
The 2 exhibitions provided some information about what happened over 7 years in the area of stari Grad.
These gestures represent the ideal that the whole community in Mostar is connected to a wider world which expresses its connection to the city and represents connection through involvement, in the lanterns, the stars, words of greeting, the web, exhibitions and the contributions of performers from other places. We wish to indicate with Droichead na nAmhrán, that restoration of the bridge and the city will be the inheritances of the young of Mostar and that the wider world is connected to this restoration, offering support and good will.

A professional video record will be produced alongside a CD-Rom, which will support information on the World Wide Web. We will launch the documentation in The Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland. Other developments will be announced. One almost dares to say the work could be being done with celebration, but knowing the events of the past and the pain experienced, it is best to say that it is a worthwhile positive undertaking filled with the concerns of artists endeavouring to make the fullest possible statement of quality all the while being mindful of the situations people are living through in different cultures. But we have reason to feel optimism.
Tom Ryan
May 2001