The Cast of ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ on stage at The MAC Theatre in Belfast 

There was great celebrations and fun at the opening night of the stage play of ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ on Friday in Belfast. I was a strange mixture of nerves and excitement as I watched my story so beautifully unfold on the stage of The MAC Theatre.

CAHOOTS and Director Paul McEneaney have done a marvelous job with this truly innovative production which combines music, song and story to help tell the story of The Great Irish Famine.

With Director Paul McEneaney 

The actors were amazing and I found it very emotional watching Eily, Michael and Peggy and their family as the potatoes fail and their lives change forever. The three children, forced to leave home, must fight to survive as they go in search of their great-aunts. 

Sabine D ’Argent’s circular stage set is deceptively simple, but hides a few things which combined with  Carlos Pons Guerra’s  choreography and James McFetridge’s lighting bring a haunting kind of magic to the show.     

There were tears, emotion and laughter along the way and like all the audience I was riveted by the incredible songs and Garth McConaghie’s stunning music which has added another layer to the story.

The play surpassed all my hopes and expectations and I was overwhelmed by the reaction of kids, families and lovers of the book, to the show.

Charles Way’s adaptation of my book works brilliantly and the hard work and effort of the large cast and crew have resulted in a very memorable stage production which I promise is different from anything else most of us have seen.

I was so happy when I saw the show again the next day and am Belfast bound again later this week.

Thank you to everyone in CAHOOTS and at The MAC Theatre for putting ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ on stage from this very grateful author!

The Cast and Crew, My daughter Mandy  and On stage  

With  my Eily, Peggy and Michael –Maeve Smyth, Philippa O’ Hara and Terence Keeley

What excitement with the opening of ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree today in the Mac Theatre in Belfast!

So proud of all the cast and crew, and wish them all so much luck today as the show opens. All the hard work and weeks of rehearsals and now it’s finally on stage for audiences both young and old to come along and see. Hope you all enjoy it and that you find it as moving as I did when I first saw it.

Good luck to everyone in Belfast and have an amazing day!

The amazing cast are – Maggie Cronin, Julia Deardon, Adam Dougal, Terence Keeley, Colette Lennon Dougal, Frankie McCafferty, Philippa O’Hara and Maeve Smyth

Helen Dillon’s Beautiful New Garden

What a treat on a sunny August Saturday morning to go and visit renowned gardener Helen Dillon’s beautiful new garden in Monkstown in County Dublin.

It is hard to believe that Helen has created this stunning new garden in only a short two years.  From every angle, colour, shape and design fill this beautiful granite walled garden which is only a stone’s throw from the sea at the end of the road.

Helen Dillon and Marita in the New Garden

Lush flower beds filled with roses, cosmos and dahlias flourish in the sunshine as Helen enthuses about the challenge she undertook designing this very new garden. From clearing everything from the bungalow’s original old garden, re-designing the original house, to digging deep to find a well to supply water to the new garden ( which has given water all through this summer’s long drought), before filling it up with totally new topsoil which gave the garden a fresh new growing spurt. Nothing was overlooked as Helen began to plant and lay out borders and beds and levels which integrate a garden that combines old and new in a perfect harmony of design.

There are wonderful eye- catching flourishes, tropical plants and overseas favourites, two green houses and an aviary for her canaries. There is even a courtyard which is full of colour.

Every way you look there is something to catch the eye and delight the soul.

Helen was justifiably proud as she showed us around every section of this new garden and dealt with so many questions about planting and plants, dispensing good advice to us all.

Moving house and leaving her world famous show garden in Sandford Road in Ranelagh must have been a huge step, but it is clear that she and her husband Val have embraced the change  and now not only have  a truly wonderful garden but an amazing house, with wrap around views of her work.

It was a delight to meet this passionate gardener who encouraged us all to go home and dig out plants that we no longer wanted and take a chance on growing something new!