Premiere of ‘Major John MacBride’ to be staged at Town Hall Theatre

Áine Ryan

A NEW three-act play depicting the life of Westport native and 1916 Rising hero, Major John MacBride, is set to premiere in Westport Town Hall Theatre from November 14 to 17. Written by local playwright CiarΡn MacSuibhne, the dramatic story will be enhanced by original songs and music composed also by the author.  A member of St Patrick’s Drama Group for 15 years, Mr MacSuibhne will also play Major John MacBride.
Treading the boards for her debut role, Ms Bernardine MacBride will play the part of her own great-grandmother, Eileen Wilson, who was the half-sister of Maud Gonne and married to Major John’s older brother, Joseph MacBride (played by newcomer, Gearóid Ó Riain). The beautiful activist, Maud Gonne, who was married to Major MacBride for a time, will be played by Róisín Heraty. Although MacBride and Madame Gonne went through an acrimonious divorce, she lauded him for his heroism and wore widows weeds in the aftermath of his execution.     
Madame Gonne is renowned for being the lifelong muse of national poet, William Butler Yeats, who is played by Paul O’Brien. Gonne’s daughter, Iseult, also a subject of Yeats’s affections, will be played by ten year-old Clodagh Cunningham. Among the veteran thespians featuring in the cast of 20 are: Lennie Grimes, who plays Fr Augustine, the priest who ministered to the rebels before their execution in Kilmainham Jail; Martin Curry plays the judge; Tom Navin plays Thomas McDonagh; Tony Varley plays Arthur Griffith; and Declan Askin will play famous Fenian, John O’Leary; Liamy McNally and Brian Murphy both play lawyers.
Newcomers Stephen Duffy and SeΡn Clarke will play soldiers alongside Liam MacNamara, Séamus McNally, Tom Navin, Micheal McGreal and Brendan Carroll. Bronach Joyce plays the role of Maud Gonne’s housekeeper, and Patrick O’Reilly, Lucien Millevoye, Iseult’s father.
Directed by Liz Browne who also directed productions of The Field, Widows Paradise, and Drinking Habit while Marion Moran takes on the role of producer.  

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Major John MacBride will be staged at the Westport Town Hall Theatre from Monday November 14 to Thursday, 17. Curtain up at 8pm sharp. Tickets €15/€12.