An Taibhdhearc is proud to bring the unmissable ‘Dathanna Geala Amháin’ to Castlebar

After a successful eight-day debut run at the National Irish Language Theatre, An Taibhdhearc is proud to present ‘Dathanna Geala Amháin’, the wickedly funny one-woman show, to the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar for one night only on Saturday, May 17 at 8pm. 

This play was written originally in English: ‘Bright Colours Only’ by Pauline Goldsmith and has toured from Belfast to Brazil in a hearse!

An Taibhdhearc is delighted to present the Irish language premier of this legendary portrayal of the Irish wake, with integrated surtitles in English throughout.

'Dathanna Geala Amháin' is directed by Westport native Muireann Kelly, the current Artistic Director of An Taibhdhearc.

Ms Kelly said, “As the National Irish Language Theatre of Ireland, it is vital that we tell stories like ‘Bright Colours Only’ - stories that come from all parts of this island that need to be heard and seen in Irish, both on the stage at An Taibhdhearc and on tour across the North and South of Ireland and abroad. An Taibhdhearc’s vision is to produce engaging work in Irish, reflecting who we are today, while providing a home for ambitious Irish language artists and their work. This is the first production in their new season of five events that will take place in 2025, stories about and for all of us, for those who use Irish every day, those learning and the Gaeilge curious.”

Muireann has long had a connection with ‘Bright Colours Only’ from the first time she saw Pauline perform it at the Edinburgh Fringe, where she clearly remembers "being moved to tears, while still feeling the pain in my sides from laughing so hard - sitting in the dark with others experiencing the same catharsis as part of a community of theatre goers who were lucky enough to witness it at that time.”

She goes on to share that “the piece is very much of its time and place, in this case Belfast in the 80s and 90s. However, as with all good playwriting, the personal and specific serves to highlight the universal. The translation and use of a Donegal dialect celebrates An Taibhdhearc’s unique perspective on this story.

“As the National Irish language Theatre, we absolutely should be reaching out to as many parts of the island as we can, making sure that audiences feel both represented in the stories that we tell, but also included in terms of their access. This has certainly been made possible with this play, as the subtitles have been a roaring success with both Irish speaking audiences and those Gaeilge curious alike. We even welcomed people from Germany and Canada to the run in the Taibhdhearc last week, all of whom immensely enjoyed the show.”

Muireann left Westport to study drama at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Gàidhlig at Sábhal Mór Ostaig on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and has spent over 30 years working in the theatre sector in Scotland and abroad.

For the last ten years, she founded and was Artistic Director of Theatre Gu Leór, making and touring new work in Scottish Gáidhlig and other minoritised languages. Muireann is passionate about sharing stories that encompass a moment in time, reflecting the real lives of real people.

As Artistic Director and Founder of the Scottish company, Theatre Gu Leòr, in 2024 she developed and directed ‘Taigh/Tŷ/Teach’ (House), a large scale, site specific, trilingual piece about the housing crisis, written and performed in Welsh, Scots Gàidhlig and Irish in all three countries. It was a co-production between Fishamble theatre company in Dublin, Bara Caws in North Wales and Theatre Gu Leor in Scotland.

‘Dathanna Geala Amháin’ is no different. Irish waking tradition is something so unique to this country, and the values of this are reflected in the play. Set against the backdrop of some of the most difficult times on this island, the impact of The Troubles is evident in the writing, despite it not being the focus of the play.

“As with all good wakes, the play invites us in, quite literally, to experience someone else’s moments of loss and grief - giving us permission to reflect on our own experiences of loss. I think this play is something that Mayo people will love and relate to, as we have those deep cultural connections. It celebrates that time when we come together to share stories, cry, and sometimes laugh however irreverently, serving as a reminder of the fragility of life," concluded Ms Kelly. 

This one-woman show stars Brídín Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh, an actress, writer and presenter from Gaoth Dobhair, Co. Donegal. Brídín, who has been acting from a young age, has several screen credits including her role as Katy Daly on Ros na Rún, and TG4’s award-winning TV drama Crá. She has recently wrapped on Babaí Brain, a short film she wrote and stars in, which is set to debut later this year.

Audiences will even be offered a wee drop of the hard stuff: a cup of tea and a sandwich, as part of the event.

Tickets are available now for ‘Dathanna Geala Amháin’ in the Linenhall Arts Centre for the one and only show taking place at 8pm on Saturday, May 17. To get yours today, go to www.thelinenhall.com or alternatively, you can scan the code below. 

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