A Tipperary celebration of theatre

Clonmel Junction Arts Festival began as a celebration of theatre, and for the past 6 years, we’ve also produced new work telling Tipperary stories by local theatremakers. This year’s festival production is The Hills of Love, written and directed by Áine Ryan, a playwright from Upperchurch whose work centres on issues of women, isolation, and rural Ireland. Her Kitty in the Lane was a hit in the 2023 festival, and she was a co-writer on our September production From Out The Land.

The Hills of Love is a play about inter-generational women dating in rural Ireland navigating the complexities of love, lust and longing. The cast includes Eve O’Mahony – herself  a popular Festival theatre artist – with Katie Taylor and Bríd Ní Chumhaill. 

Áine won the London Pub Theatre New Writing Award in 2023 for Paddy goes to Petra which received multiple five-star reviews during its sold out run at Jack Studio Theatre, London. The Hills of Love opens at co-producer Source Arts Centre in Thurles, and plays Monday July 1st to Wednesday July 3rd at the White Memorial Theatre.

Joining the line-up at the White is Remembering Ronnie, a brand new show led by Phelim Drew, the (very recognisable) son of the legendary Dubliner. Having spent his life working in theatre, music has always played a big part in Phelim’s tool box as an actor in shows like The Abbey Theatre production of The Risen People or Landmark /Olympia production of Once.

In the years since his father Ronnie passed away, Phelim has come to enjoy listening back over his musical legacy and the wealth of material has reawakened not only a sense of pride but also deep appreciation. In this show, he will be telling a few yarns and singing some of the songs made famous by Ronnie, Luke, Barney, Ciaran and John. 

This incredible show is made up of a mixture of folk and other forms of music that helped to make Ronnie and the lads so unique, and will take the audience on a journey that they will enjoy as much as sharing these experiences in songs and stories.  Remembering Ronnie is on Thursday July 4th.  

Storytelling is at the heart of Making A Show of Myself, a life-affirming show by Mary Kate O’Flanagan described as ‘a good antidote right now in a world that seems impossibly difficult and cruel’ in the Irish Independent. 

An Irish raconteur shares the most ridiculous, embarrassing, hilarious and tragic episodes of her life, showing there’s a story in every stumble - and a little magic in every story. Mary Kate O’Flanagan explores how her lifelong fascination whith story has shaped and sustained her and makes a compelling case for how stories shape and sustain the human race.

Rounding out the programme, we have a rehearsed reading of a new play by Clonmel’s Catherine McVicker, The Ballad of Lira Lovelock, performed with her daughter Caitlin, as well as a reading of  Mount Prospect, part of our Una Troy focus on Monday July 1st where we’ll also have a talk on her life and work by SETU’s Una Kealy, and a screening of her 1958 film, She Didn’t Say No! at IMC Cinema supported by Screen Ireland and the Irish Film Institute.