Turf – Edging towards its World Premiere on Ivy Leaf Stage on Thursday Night at 8pm

Turf co-authors, Redmond Roche (left) and Kevin McGaley (right) with director, Jerome Stack and cast members, Sheila Nix, Vincent Durkin, Maurice O’Connor and Colm Nix going through their lines at rehearsals at the Ivy Leaf Art Theatre in November. Photograph: John Reidy

An October 2023 introduction to the script of Turf – a play by Redmond Roche (left) and Kevin McGaley (centre) with director Jerome Stack between them with cast members, Caroline O’Connor and Bertie Hickey. Photograph: John Reidy

World premieres are like the proverbial hen’s teeth around these parts – they’re scarce.

So we’re making the most of one when we get the opportunity.

There will be a celebration on Thursday night at the Ivy Leaf Art Theatre as soon as the cast, crew and director take their bows and the curtain falls.

Turf is a locally written play by Castleisland natives Kevin McGaley and Redmond Roche and it went into casting and rehearsals last October.

Origins in Radio Drama

“The play was originally written as a radio drama in 2018, inspired by the pub culture in rural Ireland – a culture that in many places is in the past,” Kevin and Redmond explained.

“It was then developed as a stage play during 2019. Casting had begun and the play was in the early stages of rehearsal, when the Covid pandemic put it, like so many other things, on hold.

“We are extremely grateful to the large cast actors and to our director Jerome Stack and the people helping with lights, sound and stage design – they are all so vital in bringing a production like this to the stage,’’said the authors.

All Involved

The cast, under director Jerome Stack and lighting Aidan Reidy, is drawn from: Castleisland, Ballymacelligott, Knocknagoshel and Ballydesmond and it includes: Ellie Coffey, Caroline O’Connor, Valerie Golden, James McCarthy, Mick Bolger, Danny O’Sullivan, Colm, Sheila and Micheál Nix, Bertie Hickey, Maurice O’Connor and Redmond Roche.

Opening on Thursday Night

Opening night is on Thursday night January 18^th. as the first of the four-night run which will continue on the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights with curtain up at 8pm nightly.

The opening night’s proceeds will be donated to Laura Lynn – the children’s charity which operates under the motto: Making the most of short and precious lives.

The booking number is: 086 10 54 515 and tickets are priced at €10.

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