The story...
‘Confessions of an Irish Publican’ is a story about the life of a rural pub owner, Martin MacMeer, and the eccentric and colourful characters he meets everyday in his pub ‘The Journey’s End’. This hilarious one-man-show sees Des Keogh switch effortlessly from character to character in this must see comedy.

The play, based on the stories of Aesop, was written by Jack Healy and George Hanover. Dave Coon and Cormac Costello make up the cast with Jack and George. It features all original songs and has its basis in a number of Aesop’s more famous stories including The Tortoise and the Hare and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. We also proposed workshop for kids to discover cover all aspects of theatre making from scripting to acting and performance to presentation.

Theatre by the Lake 2008

We had a very successful theatre season in 2008 and we were honoured to have the following two great productions.

Tom Crean - Antartic Explorer

Fairbank Productions, Play On Words Theatre

The intrepid Antarctic explorer and one of Ireland’s unsung heroes, is brought to life in this dramatic and humorous solo performances by Aidan Dooley.

Hear the riveting true stories of Crean’s Antarctic explorations as one of the few men to serve with both Scott and Shackleton and survive the three famous expeditions: Discovery, (1901 – 1904); Terra Nova (1910 – 1913); and Endurance (1914 - 1916)

www.tomcrean.co.uk

The Tailor and Ansty

By Eric Cross was revived by The New Theatre in the summer of 2005, when it opened at the Gougane Barra Hotel, West Cork and delighted packed houses for five weeks. It played in a marquee beside the lake, near to the tiny, beautiful graveyard where the tailor Timothy Buckley and his wife Ansty are buried and just down the road from the cottage where they lived.
Photo courtesy; Catherine Ketch

Theatre by the lake 2007

had a great season with

The Matchmaker by John B. Keane

Mick Lally and Geraldine Plunkett/Anne Charleston were back together again in John B Keane’s hilarious hit play.

The Matchmaker follows the efforts of Dicky Mick Dicky O Connor to make matches for the lonely and lovelorn from all parts of the country. At the centre of this celebrated production is John B Keane’s marvellous and mischievous wit coupled by his unparalleled way with words.

The play boasts the superb cast of Mick Lally , well known to Irish audiences as Miley in Glenroe and Geraldine Plunkett who is known to everyone as Mary in Glenroe.

The production features an introduction by John B Keane himself on tape and is directed by Michael Scott.

“The Matchmaker is a classic that continues to entertain audiences and tap into Irish sensibilities.” -Sunday Business Post.

The Matchmaker performed in Gougane Barra Hotel from the 17th of July to the 2nd of September 2007 to delighted audiences over its 7 week run.

In the Summer of 2006 and 2005....

The Tailor and Ansty

The Tailor and Ansty by Eric Cross was revived by The New Theatre in the summer of 2005, when it opened at the Gougane Barra Hotel, West Cork and delighted packed houses for five weeks. It played in a marquee beside the lake, near to the tiny, beautiful graveyard where the tailor Timothy Buckley and his wife are buried and just down the road from the cottage where they lived.

The Irish Examiner gave the production four stars calling it “an enchanting play” and describing Ronan Wilmot as “the tailor to the life”.

The Tailor and Ansty returned to Gougane Barra last summer (2006), playing at the hotel from 4th July – 3rd September to packed houses.

Actor and storyteller Nuala Hayes had storytelling workshops with children on Saturday mornings during the West Cork run.