Performance of Readings from Brian O’Nolan’s work with Brenda Liddy:

Performance of Readings from Brian O’Nolan’s work with Brenda Liddy:

Venue: Lifford Cinema: 11am -12 noon: Free Admission

Published poet and author Dr. Brenda Liddy will introduce

1. The performance aims to promote intercultural dialogue and linguistic diversity. Béal Bocht is an innovative text which satirises the ‘gaelgóir tradition. “If we don’t cherish the work of Flann O’Brien,” said Anthony Burgess, the late English novelist ‘we are stupid fools who don’t deserve to have great men.’  O’Brien critiques the language question and mocks the pretensions of those who claim to be Gaelic aficionados and are only paying lip service to it.

2. The performance will give young students living in the border area the opportunity to explore contentious issues relating to the Irish language. On the one hand we have the view that ‘Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam’ advocated by Pearse and O’Brien’s fear that the language had become too embroiled with Catholic Nationalism. He wrote that, ‘mystical relationship between the jig, the Irish Language, abstinence from alcohol, morality and salvation’ was unhelpful in fostering intercultural dialogue among all the inhabitants of the island.  

3. The readings will provide the students with the opportunity to have a discussion about the proximity of the two languages and how they ultimately interact with each other.  

4. As Roger Boylan argues, ‘O’Brien’s work is becoming about as cherished as avant-garde literature can ever expect to be, and not just among the cognoscenti. Flann O’Brien is chic.’   

5. Students will benefit from seeing Corkadoragha, a pitiful place of eternal rain, sky-crucifyings, and endemic shortages of food and any superlatives associated with the ‘poor mouth’ come to life. As the leitmotif suggests, ‘mar ní bheidh ár leithéidí arís ann.’

6. In Scene 3 of the adapted script the students will have the opportunity to appreciate similarities and differences in the two languages:

1Cat Chonnacht         

2.An Circín Donn

3.An Capall Dána

4.An Préachán Péacach

5.An Ridire Reatha

1.Connacht Cat
2.The Little Brown Hen
3.The Bold Horse
4.The Gaudy Crow
5.The Running Knight

It will be demonstrated that sometimes the alliteration is the same in both languages, for example ‘Cat Chonnacht / Connacht Cat but that in the Irish the noun precedes the adjective. However in An Préachán Péacach and An Ridire Reatha, the Irish language is more poetic in terms of alliteration.

Comments from the actors, Chris Kelly and Chris Downey and Seamus Mac Annaidh

After reading the Third Police Man and extracts from the Irish Times I have been hooked on Flann’s comic genius. I'm looking forward to reading more of Flann o Brien!

This play has opened my eyes to the Irish language, and Irish playwrights: after the New Year I will be starting an Irish class because I have fallen in love with the language and the rhythm.

I loved the novel immediately and found the key to the character was tuning into the wit of the Flann's language and realising the character Bonaparte was designed as a satire of Irish pauperism.

This performance will be a valuable introduction for students to the works of Flann O'Brien; showcasing his wit and humour in a lively and attractive presentation; it will give them an opportunity to experience literature outside the classroom and show them the Irish language used in a lively and fun way.

Chris Kelly: Pen Portrait

Chris Kelly began acting in 2010 having trained at Drama Centre London in 2011 on the European Classical Acting Masters Programme.  His credits include Sheridan's The Rivals with Rosie Phelan Theatre Group and Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan with Studio1 Theatre Company. 

Christopher Downey: Pen Portrait

Christopher Downey has just finished working with Kaleidoscopic, on their very successful production of Pride and Prejudice. He was asked to step in at the last minute to take on the role of Mr Gardiner. He also has toured Northern Ireland with Partisan Production with a played called The Field Hospital and worked along with Rachel O' Riordan on a play called Spring Awaking with the BBC 1 on a programme called Harry the Undisclosed and a TV series called Sketchy. Movies include Potato Vampires

Seamas Mac Annaidh: Pen Portrait

Seamas Mac Annaidh is a professional writer and broadcaster. He has published six novels and two collections of short stories in Irish and several books on Irish and local history in English, including the best-selling 'Irish History Micropedia' (Parragon). He has been writer-in-residence at Queen's University, University of Ulster, and most recently at NUI Galway. He presented the children's TV series 'The Magic Attic' on BBCNI, and 'Goitse' the Irish-language magazine programme on Radio Ulster for a number of years.
 
 

Brenda Liddy: Pen Portrait

Brenda Liddy teaches English at the Northern Regional College, and prior to this appointment, she taught English at the University of Ulster. She is also a published poet and author, actor and director and delivers training and workshops in creative writing at Queen’s University, Belfast. Her credits include Kaleidoscope’s recent production of Pride and Prejudice, where she played the role of Lady Catherine. Recently she delivered a poetry mapping initiative as specified by Strabane District Council under Peace III’s Peace Building through Cultural Legacy and Sports Programme. Her two books, Women’s War Drama in England in the Seventeenth Century and The Drama of War in the Theatre of Anne Devlin, Marie Jones, and Christina Reid, Three Irish Playwrights have been well received and continue to gain critical attention.