Project Title: ‘It’s Now or Never’
Setting: The Ormond Dance Hall, Carrick-on Suir, 1960s
Four young people enjoy a night out: two sisters, one a town telephone operator, who knows everyone's business, the other a bold fearless young woman in defiance of authority; the fellas, one a ‘Flash Harry’ type just back from England for the first time since emigrating and is full of bravado stories of his adventures across the Irish Sea; the other, an only son of a farmer who is restless and withered with the hum drum of rural life and yearns for change. The next bus to the ferry to England is 8am in the morning. Who will be on it?
_________________________________________________________________________
'It's Now or Never' is a fictional narrative created by local writers infused with a rich tapestry of social history and generational anecdotes from the collective memory and experiences of older adults in three care home settings in Carrick -on-Suir, who generously shared stories of a time when they were young, free, and single in the late 1950s/60s.
This Arts project, It’s Now or Never, has two outputs: a private and public performance, with two strands to the public performance. There will be a private live drama performance by local actors staged in the Care Home settings so that the storytellers and their families can witness first-hand a performance for which they provided the source material. There will also be a public performance in the Library open to the general public. In addition, there will be an ‘uncut’ audio version performed by the writers who created the drama and this recorded performance will be available online and with a global reach.
Key members of the creative team are project director, Linda Fahy, Tudor Artisan Hub; Project partner: actress Paula O’Dwyer; Storytellers – Older Adults in Day Care Centre, Sonas and Greenhill Nursing Homes, Carrick-on-Suir; Storytelling Consultants: Peg Power and Walter Dunphy (Brewery Lane Theatre); Writers/Voice Actors/Blended Directors: Mary McGrath, Joe Whelan, John Corcoran, Heather Comerford, supported by Margaret O’Brien, Writing Changes Lives; Drama Consultant/Co-Director: Maria Clancy; Stage Actors: Aileen O’Keeffe, Sheenagh Raggett, Neill Bourke and Enda O’Driscoll. Care Home Liaison: Liz Martin.
Timelines of Project
Private Performances in Care Home Settings – Residents and Families
Date: Sunday 26th May, 2024, Time: 2pm; Greenhill Nursing Home, Pill Road, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary E32 FY09
Time: 3.30pm: Sonas Nursing Home, Waterford Rd, Carrickbeg, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, E32 D681
Public Performance
Date: Wednesday 29nd May, 2024. Time: 6.30pm
Venue: The Seán Healy Memorial Library, Fairgreen, Carrick-On-Suir, Co. Tipperary, E32 X860
Pre-booking required: tudorartisanhub@gmail.com / 051 640921/086 2560609
Online Audio Performance
Date: Friday 31st May, 2024, Time: 6.30pm
The ‘Uncut’ Audio Play will be broadcast online on a YouTube link on Tudor Artisan Hub FB page.
Bealtaine Festival Theme 2024
'OLD, Not Obsolete'
Mixed Media Exhibition with Artist Mia Carney
Title: ‘Old, not obsolete’ – Mixed Media Art Exhibition
Haywood Lodge, Western Studio and Morton Street Day centres, Clonmel, under the tutelage of Artist Mia Carney were invited by the Tudor Artisan Hub, Carrick-on-Suir to jump on the Punk memory train for the Bealtaine Festival. And it was a resounding “yes please” from all. No t-shirts were safe! Milton bleach was 'acquired' from the stores, safety pins pinched from first aid boxes and residents and nursing staff got busy channelling Vivianne Westwood! Once the Punk catwalk creations were made, it was dress up time, hair, make up, costumes, all showing their Lust for Life, 'old, not obsolete' the motto of the day. Paintings were created, giving our interpretation of those rebellious youths and chairs graffitied honouring their lyrics and words.
As much as rural Ireland didn’t get to fully participate in the Punk Revolution all those years ago, we read about it, we saw the photos and art teacher Mia had a wonderful interaction with the punks of the Kings Road, Chelsea back
in the 1980s!
As much as rural Ireland didn’t get to fully participate in the Punk Revolution all those years ago, we read about it, we saw the photos and art teacher Mia had a wonderful interaction with the punks of the Kings Road, Chelsea back
in the 1980s!
“Life is truly for living, for enjoying the moment, no matter your age and the Bealtaine Festival recognises that and it's wonderful to be part of such a celebration, our Lust for Life is still going strong!”
Artist Profile:
Mia Carney from Kilcash, Co. Tipperary is an artist and art therapist, working with older adults with the HSE for 20 years. Mia also operates ‘Manyweathers Studios’ on the slopes of Sliabh na mBan where she enjoys teaching art as well as creating art. Her artwork can be found hanging in homes across the globe.
Mia Carney from Kilcash, Co. Tipperary is an artist and art therapist, working with older adults with the HSE for 20 years. Mia also operates ‘Manyweathers Studios’ on the slopes of Sliabh na mBan where she enjoys teaching art as well as creating art. Her artwork can be found hanging in homes across the globe.
