It was great to be back in the Lexicon Library in Dun Laoghaire to take part in this year’s Cruinniu na nOg.
It was brilliant to get the chance to talk to one of my favourite writers Shane Hegarty all about books and writing and stories. For us to actually be together in person filming carefully in the studio in the Lexicon and not just on Zoom was great fun!
Cruinniu na nOg is a national day of free creativity for young people in Ireland. We are the only country to hold such a day. There are all kinds of events being held all over Ireland on 12th June to celebrate Cruinniu na nOg from Leprechaun Hunts to Nenagh Kid’s Film Festival, Drumming to Crafts, Dance and Knitting so get creative and check them out.
Thanks to the film crew and the wonderful Sarah Webb and Librarian Marian Keyes for setting it all up.
This year’s Famine Summer School which was due to be held in the Ireland’s National Famine Museum in Strokestown will be held instead online on Saturday 29th May.
However for anyone with an interest in in Ireland’s Great Famine this is a great opportunity to listen and to take part in a day filled with exciting new contributions from both international and Irish famine experts and researchers on many aspects of Ireland’s Great Hunger.
I am looking forwardto talking with Caroilin Callery of the National Famine Museum Strokestown Park House about the importance of Education and Outreach in terms of learning about the famine and the National Famine Way.
I have just watched ‘Home – Part 1’ the Abbey Theatre’s incredible dramatization of some of the testimonies of women survivors of Mother and Baby institutions.
The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby homes published its report in January 2021 with some controversy as many women felt their experiences had not been properly included or covered in the report.
This haunting piece of online theatre performed on the Abbey stage by some of Irelands foremost actresses gave voice to women and girls of all ages that have been ignored for decades. ‘Home’ is still available online from the Abbey.
The Abbey Theatre over the past year has proved itself to be versatile, responsive and innovative in finding a way to bring new theatre to audiences.
On March 11th 2020 The Abbey Theatre had to close its doors due to Covid 19 restrictions as Ireland went into lockdown. However by April 28th the Abbey had gathered itself to produce an incredible new type of theatre available to audiences online to reflect Ireland’s situation with 50 playwrights and 50 actors tasked with reflecting how Ireland was dealing with life during a pandemic.
In ‘Dear Ireland’ over three nights a series of dramatic and extraordinary monologues reflected the difficult new and bewildering situation faced by so many. Isolated from friends, family and routine or working all hours on the frontline. Everyone in that audience aware of the giant step that was being taken by our National Theatre for The Abbey had flung open its doors and reached a massive new audience both at home and overseas.
Such was its success that ‘Dear Ireland’ has continued with further additions to include a wider view of those affected.
Other highlights includes Lisa Tierney Keogh’s ‘This Beautiful Virtual Village’ and a live performance of ‘The Great Hunger’ held outdoors in the grounds of the I.M.MA in Kilmainham which brought Patrick Kavanagh’s epic poem to life.
Michael Foley’s ‘Fourteen Voices from the Bloodied Field’ produced with the GAA gave voice to those who died tragically in an attack, in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday on 21st November 1920. The Abbey even brought award winning writer Edna O’Brien’s T.S Eliot Lecture to its audience.
The Abbey Theatre despite Covid has in that time employed 600 freelance theatre makers, and believe it or not attracted an audience of 324, 490 online. An incredible 46% of that audience were from overseas.
The Abbey Theatre normally would average an audience of 122, 820 attending the theatre annually but this new direction has uncovered a much larger audience for our National Theatre.
While we all look forward to a return to proper theatre. I do hope that the Abbey Theatre will continue to use this exciting new platform to showcase its work and reach a much wider audience including those that often cannot easily manage to get to the theatre, or live in far flung Kerry, Berlin or New York etc.
“Compelling … An accessible and essential book, which does great service to Irish history and charts the courage and steadfastness of the human spirit..” Sunday Times
Marita Conlon-McKenna’s most recent novel, The Hungry Road, published at the beginning of this year, and as such Red Line is eager to highlight a wonderful novel that you might have missed.
Inspired by true Irish heroes, The Hungry Road is the heartbreaking story of the Great Irish Famine told by one of Ireland’s best loved writers.
Join Marita as she discusses the novel, her career and more with fellow novelist, Tanya Farrelly.
Tanya Farrelly is the author of two novels and the prize-winning short story collection When Black Dogs Sing.
Marita Conlon-McKenna 