FOUR plays for The Big Four – The Big Four meaning 1919’s true life Irish Volunteers Sean Tracey, Dan Breen, Seamus Robinson and Sean Hogan.
They were involved in the Soloheadbeg shootings to continue the struggle towards independence from British sovereignty and were forced on the run in Counties Limerick and Tipperary.
Lampróg Theatre has devised four scripts to create a theatrical journey through Knocklong, Glenbrohane and Galbally for these historically site specific plays to mark the centenary. We are still in time to catch the closing chapters of The Big Four, the third scheduled for this Thursday 16, with the fourth and final exercise ‘The Trial’ taking place on Sunday May 19 at 1pm.
May 16 at 6.30pm: setting out from Knocklong Community Centre. From director Fiona Quinn we hear that “‘The Escape’ is a 7.7km promenade theatre performance that invites the audience to follow the Four, as wounded – shot in the lung, neck and arm – they flee from Knocklong train station, trekking to safety across the fields and up the hill to Glenlara.” Note that there will be four different performances along the way, “detailing the history of this epic race for freedom.”
May 19 at 1pm: at Knocklong Community Centre. “‘The Trial’…highlights the injustice of the arrest and execution of Paddy Maher, an innocent man, hung by the British in retribution for the rescue of Sean Hogan from Knocklong train station.” Based on court transcripts of the trial and accounts from Paddy Maher’s descendants, “this is a poignant and moving story of a travesty of justice and the triumph of might over right,” says Fiona.
All performances are written by Rachel Jones and David Tynan.
Lampróg Theatre has been created by participants on County Limerick Youth Theatre’s LEADER training course Expressing Employability.
