Latest news with #CorkOperaHouse
Irish Independent
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Cork singer takes starring role on Opera House stage amid array of concerts celebrating its 170th
Corkman Today at 08:00 Cork Opera House continues to keep the people of Leeside and those further afield entertained as the venue unveils three shows as part of its 170th anniversary celebrations. Following a Gala Concert earlier this year and the launch of its Send It Home campaign to collect historic memorabilia, the venue continues to entertain. The first of the unique shows, Hänsel und Gretel, takes to the stage on Sunday, August 24. The classic opera will be performed by members of the Cara O'Sullivan Associate Artists programme. Cork mezzo-soprano Niamh O'Sullivan (Hänsel) and Wexford soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson (Gretel) debut in the title roles of this fairy tale opera. They are joined by Rory Dunne, Bríd Ní Ghruagáin and Emma Nash and the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra conducted by Elaine Kelly. A night celebrating Cork and Irish traditional music swiftly follows on Wednesday, September 10, as a collaboration with Masters of Tradition, an internationally renowned Bantry-based festival. Martin Hayes is the Artistic Director and he is set to curate an evening full of music with several special guests, including Hayes' long-time collaborator, the acclaimed pianist, composer, and arranger Cormac McCarthy. The third instalment of this special 170th announcement will present a dazzling evening of music that pays tribute to Cork Opera House's rich jazz heritage. Swingin' & In Time – Jazz Giants at Cork Opera House Through the Decades - is a high-energy, glamorous celebration of jazz, featuring the dynamic Paul Dunlea Big Band and curated by acclaimed trombonist, arranger and composer Paul Dunlea. He will recreate some iconic jazz moments that blessed the Opera House stage over the decades with esteemed performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, and Blossom Dearie. Swingin' & In Time will hit the stage on Saturday, September 27. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Cork Opera House CEO and Artistic Director, Eibhlín Gleeson said the newly announced productions are 'a celebration of opera, traditional music and jazz.' 'Created in collaboration with some of Ireland's most esteemed artists and musicians, these performances reflect Cork Opera House's commitment to celebrating everything that makes Cork unique—its culture, its creativity, and its community. 'Each production is a testament to the innovation and artistry at the heart of Cork Opera House. As we mark 170 years of performance, we invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone with works that honour our past, resonate in the present, and inspire the future,' she concluded. Tickets are now on sale for these performances from and Box Office (021 4270022).
Irish Times
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Eileen Walsh: Women actors ‘are like avocados. You're nearly ready, nearly ready - then you're ripe, then you've gone off'
What is the longest period of time you have sat in a venue watching a piece of theatre? Three hours? Four? Maybe six for some rare double or triple bill? Well, from 4pm on Saturday, June 14th to 4pm the following day, actor Eileen Walsh will be spending 24 hours on stage at the Cork Opera House , in a one-off performance of The Second Woman. This is an Irish premiere of the show, running during Cork Midsummer Festival , and a co-production with the Cork Opera House. It was originally created in 2017 by Australians Anna Breckon and Nat Randall, and has been performed in various cities around the world, including Sydney, New York and London. The show is described as 'a durational theatre experience', which sounds about right if you are a member of the audience, but how will the person holding everything together on stage for 24 hours manage to endure in this truly epic role? 'I've done 72 hours in labour,' Walsh says matter-of-factly, as she looks through the lunch menu at Dublin's College Green Hotel. 'You stay awake when you have to.' READ MORE The place is busy and noisy, and there is a particularly loud group sitting in the banquette behind me. As we start talking, I fret a little that my recorder won't pick up Walsh's voice amid the general din of cutlery and lunchtime clamour. But later, when I play back the recording, every word of hers is in there, perfectly clear. Of course it is; it's the voice of an actor, trained to enunciate and carry; to cut through all the noise. Walsh is in an orange singlet and black trouser suit, her dark hair in a ponytail. I know what age she is (48, I've done my research) but if I didn't, I couldn't tell by looking at her enviable chameleon face. The question of age is relevant because this theme is woven through The Second Woman, and her character of Virginia. 'Her age is never mentioned,' Walsh says. 'But it's very much about age and ageing, and about how men see us women.' Walsh has been acting for all of her adult life; in theatre, film and TV. Some of her recent appearances were opposite her old friend Cillian Murphy in the adaptation of Claire Keegan's novella, Small Things Like These ; and in Chris O'Dowd's streaming series Small Town, Big Story . The question is, how is she going to prepare for her latest, and longest, performance? 'I don't know if you can prepare for it, because it is all such an unknown,' she says. 'Part of the preparing for it is a bit like letting go, and trusting in the process. Even if you had done it before, it is an unknown because it would be 100 new situations and 100 new people.' Eileen Walsh: Being a mother is so difficult because you are being constantly pulled. Photograph Nick Bradshaw Walsh will not be alone on stage. Her character Virginia plays the same scene 100 times, each lasting seven minutes, each with a different male character, all called Marty, 100 Martys in total. In Cork, as in other cities where the show has been performed, the Martys are mostly amateurs, with some professionals in the mix. Will there be anyone famous? 'I think there are surprises,' Walsh says cautiously. 'I think it will be a mix of people I have worked with before, and who are interested in the theme of the project. But I don't know, and I won't know until I see them on stage on the night – if there are any. The last thing I want is to spend 24 hours wondering if Liam Neeson is coming.' Or indeed, Cillian Murphy. Or Chris O'Dowd. The core of the lines spoken by each character in each scene stays the same, but the scene itself has the possibility of opening in various different ways. The male character, by improvising, can choose what kind of relationship he wants to have with Virginia. None will have rehearsed with Walsh, so until each scene starts, she will have no idea which back story the person playing opposite her will choose. 'The opening of the scene is a window of opportunity for them to say something along the lines of 'As your brother,' if they don't want any romantic interaction. Or, 'As your dad,' or, 'As your friend.' So they can set their own parameters if they want to. Essentially it is all about relationships.' Stage directions allow for various kinds of action, and little pieces of physical exercise and respite for the actor. 'There's an opportunity to have a dance, there's an opportunity to have a drink, there's an opportunity to sit or to eat. You get an opportunity to sit down briefly, but other than that you are on the go. It's very physical. Then there is an opportunity at the end of each scene for the participant to choose to end the interaction in a positive or negative way. As much as my character is having a monumental breakdown, the men remain main characters in their lives all the time.' Walsh does the scene seven times, with some minutes at the end of each hour to reset the stage again. 'The props might have been moved, the drink might have been spilt. You stay on stage the whole time while that is happening, and then every few hours there's a comfort break, to have a pee, or fix make-up.' In The Second Woman Eileen Walsh plays the same scene 100 times, each lasting seven minutes, each with a different male character, all called Marty, 100 Martys in total. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw When the show was performed in London at the Young Vic in 2023, Walsh queued for three hours to watch a three-hour slot. 'We had to wait for people coming out to be able to buy tickets,' she explains. Walsh had no idea that two years later, she herself would be playing this extraordinary role. How do you rehearse for such a role? 'The rehearsal process is two weeks, and by day two you are working with four actors in turn. They will give me a flavour of what to do if someone freezes on the night, or if they are going on too long.' These actors won't be appearing in the performance; they will be trying to work through some of the different possible variations of the same seven-minute scene. But no element of preparation will come close to replicating what the actual night of performance will bring. Both Breckon and Randall will be coming over to Cork from Australia for the rehearsals, and to see her 24-hour performance. The Second Woman will be Cork-born Walsh's first major stage role in Ireland since returning from Britain last October. She lived there for some 30 years, first with husband Stuart McCaffer, and then as a family with their children, Tippi and Ethel. It's impossible to see acting as a life choice in Ireland now. How do you get a mortgage? Have kids? I don't know how young actors do it — Eileen Walsh 'Tippi is 19 and was born in Edinburgh.' (She's named for Tippi Hedren, now 95, who famously appeared in Hitchcock's The Birds; mother of Melanie Griffith, grandmother of Dakota Johnson.) 'I had watched The Birds, and thought Tippi was such a lovely name,' Walsh says. 'Ethel was born in London and she is 16. The girls were partly responsible for us moving back. Tippi was really interested in coming back and maybe doing drama school here. And we found a lovely school for Ethel. It kind of made sense.' When I ask if her children will be going to see the show, Walsh says her rehearsal time in Cork coincides with Ethel's Junior Cert. She thus won't be available at home for reassuring in-person hugs with her exam student. 'Being a mother is so difficult because you are being constantly pulled.' Tippi and Ethel have a better understanding and tolerance of parents being temporarily absent for work than most of their peers, having been raised in a household with two creative parents (McCaffer is a sculptor). After being away from Ireland for 30 years, both the paucity of available housing and the cost of it was a deep shock to Walsh when they returned. 'Looking for a rental for two adults and two kids, the costs were eye watering. Not only could we not get in the door for a lot of places, but the costs involved in trying to rent a two-bedroom flat while we were looking for a house were crazy. 'The costs are crippling. Dublin is laughing in the face of London when it comes to housing prices.' They did eventually find somewhere. 'We bought a wreck of a house we are desperately trying to do up.' Walsh wonders aloud how actors in Ireland today, especially in Dublin, are managing to develop a professional career while also finding affordable housing. 'I moved out of home at 17 and it was possible to pay your rent – and also have a great time. It is just not possible any more, and I don't know how younger versions of me are coping now. 'Financially it's having the result of turning acting into a middle-class profession, because what young kids from a working class background can afford to hire rehearsal space and to live within Dublin? It's impossible to see acting as a life choice in Ireland now. How do you get a mortgage? Have kids? I don't know how young actors do it. Besides, of course, moving away from Ireland.' Eileen Walsh: 'I moved out of home at 17 and it was possible to pay your rent and also have a great time ... I don't know how younger versions of me are coping now.' Photograph: Nick Bradshaw Back in 1996, when Walsh was still a student, she was cast in the role of Runt opposite Cillian Murphy as Pig in Enda Walsh's seminal then new play, Disco Pigs. (The two Walshes are not related.) The whole thing was a sensational success for all three of them, and burnished their names brightly. When the film version was cast a few years later, Murphy remained in the role of Pig, while Elaine Cassidy was given the role of Runt. Walsh said at the time she didn't even know the auditions were being held. It's a topic that has come up over and over again in interviews during the intervening years, the What If's around that casting. It's clear that Walsh was deeply hurt. She was 'heartbroken' at the decision to not cast her in this role that she had first brought to life. One can only imagine the strain it put on her friendship with Murphy at the time, for a start. It must also have been difficult for Elaine Cassidy to keep hearing publicly how something that was nothing to do with her had so affected the morale of another fellow actor. 'I feel like I've spoken a lot about that,' Walsh says now. 'It was a lesson for me very early on. And it wasn't the first or the last time I got bad news. And just because the role was yours doesn't mean it stays yours. They are heartbreaking things to learn. Or if someone says they want you for a job and then they change their mind, that's a f***ing killer as well. It's not something that gets better with age. It just burns more, because the opportunities are better, so the burn is greater.' [ From the archive: Cillian Murphy and Eileen Walsh on 'Disco Pigs': 'It was the ignorance of youth' Opens in new window ] At this point in our conversation, there are a number of other expletives scattered by Walsh, as if this old and sad wound has triggered some kind of latent, but still important, emotion. We talk for a while about how ageing in the acting profession – wherever one is located in the world – frequently works against women in a way it does not against men. 'I think women are constantly being told that for men, acting is a marathon and for women it's a sprint, because you have a short time to make an impact. You're like an avocado,' she says. I ask her to repeat that last word, unsure if I've heard it correctly. 'Avocado,' she says firmly. 'You're nearly ready, nearly ready – then you're ripe, then you've gone off. That's what you're made to feel like. Do it now, while you're lovely and young and your boobs are still upright, or whatever, While you're taut. And I think that is a total f***ing lie. It might be a marathon for men, but to remain in this business as a woman, it's like a decathlon. You have to f***ing go and go and go and it takes tenaciousness and being stubborn and strident to know your values. 'Men are allowed to feel old and to be seen like a fine wine, whereas I think for women it just takes so much boldness to stay in this profession as you age. And also to play parts where you don't have to always be the f***ing mother or the disappointed wife.' Eileen Walsh as Eileen Furlong in Small Things Like These. Photograph: Enda Bowe In the last year, Walsh has appeared in three significant screen productions: Small Things Like These; Say Nothing , the Disney + adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe's book about the Troubles in Northern Ireland in which she plays Bridie Dolan, the aunt of Dolours and Marian Price who was blinded in a bomb-making accident; and Small Town, Big Story in the role of Catherine, a wheelchair user who is having a steamy affair with a colleague. In Small Things Like These, she co-stars with Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy, three decades on from Disco Pigs. 'A long circle completed,' she says. [ Small Things Like These: Cillian Murphy's performance is fiercely internalised in a film emblematic of a changing Ireland Opens in new window ] Claire Keegan's novella is set in 1985 in Co Wexford, and focuses on what happens when Bill Furlong, a fuel merchant, husband to Eileen Furlong and father of five daughters, discovers what is going on at the local convent, which is also a laundry that serves the town. Murphy – whom she calls Cill – contacted her when she was playing Elizabeth Proctor in Arthur Miller's The Crucible at the National Theatre in London. He asked her to read the script for Small Things, which Enda Walsh had written. 'I know that Cill as producer was very intent on working with people he knows and loves and worked with previously and had kind of relationships with. The whole movie was spotted with friends and long-time collaborators.' After she had read the script, she went to meet director Tim Mielants. She and Murphy 'had to do something similar to a chemistry meet. That meeting was filmed when we worked on some scenes together.' Small Things Like These: Eileen Walsh as Eileen Furlong and Cillian Murphy as Bill Furlong. Photograph: Enda Bowe/Lionsgate The two play the married couple in the movie, Bill and Eileen Furlong. 'It's a very tired relationship. They are a long time into the marriage, and they are very used to each other, so it's a no chemistry-chemistry meet, if that makes sense.' Walsh got the part. I remind her of what she has said earlier in the interview about being fed up of playing roles of mothers and disappointed wives, which one could see as a fair description of her role of Eileen Furlong. This role, Walsh makes clear, was very different from any kind of generic cliche of playing a mother or wife. 'Playing Eileen, she wasn't a put-upon wife, but was a mirror of what an awful lot of women were like at that time in Ireland. [ Irish Times readers pick Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These as the best Irish book of the 21st century Opens in new window ] 'Claire Keegan's writing is such a gift to any actor. Claire's story behind everybody is very dark. Nobody gets an easy ride with a Claire Keegan character, and that's a real draw to any actor. She doesn't soft soap anything. For me to play that character, to play Eileen, meant I saw so much of my own mother and the women that I grew up underneath, [women] I grew up looking up to. It was a hard time. They were trying to make money stretch very hard, at a time when dinners would have to be simple and very much planned to the last slice of bread. They were not women spouting rainbows.' As it happens, Walsh's next big upcoming role after the Cork Midsummer Festival will be that of Jocasta, Oedipus's mother, in Marina Carr's new play, The Boy. It will open at the Abbey in the autumn as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival. She'll play a mother in this interpretation of a Greek myth, certainly, but again, no ordinary one. Rehearsals start in July. [ From the archive: Eileen Walsh: How I reconcile motherhood with playing Medea Opens in new window ] Meanwhile, back to her modern-day Greek marathon in Cork this month. Due to the length of the show, there are a variety of ticket types the public can avail of. You can buy a ticket for the entire 24 hours, and either stay at the venue for the whole time or leave and return. On return, you may have to queue again and wait for a seat to become free. Other tickets are being sold for scheduled time slots for a number of hours. If you choose to come for the 2am slot, for instance, you'll pay a bit less for your ticket. There will also be some tickets available at the door, although it's likely you'll have to queue. There will be pop-up food and drink venues in the foyer to provide sustenance. The Cork Opera House has a capacity of 1,000 seats. If those seats keep turning over a during the 24 hours, thousands of people will have an opportunity to see this remarkable highlight of Cork Midsummer Festival: truly a night like no other this year in Ireland.
Irish Examiner
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
The summer guide: What to watch, see and do this season — including free days out
19 gigs and festivals to look forward to Martha Wainwright Cork Opera House, June 9 The acclaimed singer-songwriter marks the 20th anniversary of her self-titled debut album with a lap of honour tour. Buckle up for songs that run from chiming alternative rock to soul-baring chansons, topped off with Wainwright's wry, introspective lyrics. Charli XCX Charli XCX. Picture: Matt Crossick/PA Media Assignments Malahide Castle, June 17 Ireland finally gets its taste of Brat Summer. Dress code: Lime green. Kneecap Fairview Park, June 19 One third of the Belfast rappers, Mo Chara, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court the day prior on a terror offence. One imagines it will only further rouse the sold-out masses attending their biggest gig in the Republic to date. The Darkness INEC Killarney, June 21 Is this the real life or is it just parody? Big riffs, big hair, and a big chorus conspired to make The Darkness one of the most humongous forces in rock 20 years ago, only for it to all unravel when people mistook them for a joke act. They're back — and they mean it — with a new album, Dreams on Toast, and a tour that wends its way to Kerry. Zach Bryan Phoenix Park, June 21, 22 Country rock makes an epic return to Ireland as marine-turned-heartland troubadour Bryan rocks up at Phoenix Park for the venue's biggest address to true believers since the Pope in 1979. Olivia Rodrigo Marlay Park, June 24 The Gen-Z pop star's punchy anthems are illuminated by her love for bubblegum punk and 1990s indie. After two sold-out dates in the 3Arena last year, she brings the Guts tour to Ireland for one more outing. Lana Del Rey Aviva Stadium, June 30 Her next album is forever being announced and delayed, but one thing is written in stone: Del Rey plays her biggest Irish gig yet at the Aviva in Dublin in late June. Will her wispy anthems take flight in a huge glass-and-concrete bowl renowned for its lack of atmosphere? All will be revealed. Joe Bonamassa Live at the Marquee, July 1-3 The acclaimed blues guitarist puts his spin on the songbook of Cork's own singular guitar wiz, Rory Gallagher, across three hotly anticipated shows. Chris Kent Live at the Marquee, July 11 What do you get when you give up your phone and the internet? If you're Cork comedian Chris Kent, a new live show — and his biggest home venue yet. Jessica Pratt Vicar Street, July 13 Lo-fi confessional folk from widely acclaimed songwriter, whose 2024 album, Here is the Pitch, was heralded as one of the year's finest. The Magic Numbers Cyprus Avenue, July 15 Incredibly, it's 20 years since these happy-go-lucky siblings from London by way of Trinidad clocked up huge hits with Love Me Like You and Forever Lost. Now, they're heading out to mark that achievement with a series of victory lap gigs. Biig Piig Cyprus Avenue, July 17 Cork-born, Spain-and-Waterford-raised, London-based songwriter and producer Jessica Smyth takes influences from all over. Her music combines RnB, disco, avant-garde rock, and dance-pop to exhilarating effect, as she demonstrated with this year's debut album, 11:11. Amble Live at the Marquee, July 17 It's been a phenomenal year for teachers Robbie Cunningham and Oisín McCaffrey, and scientist Ross McNerney, who packed in their 9-5s to pursue a music career. Three years after their first live gig, they've sold out venues from Limerick's King John's Castle to Galway's Big Top and, of course, the Marquee. Cian Ducrot Live at the Marquee, July 19-20 The Passage West native, now a Grammy award-winning songwriter, has two big summer shows in the real Capital. All Together Now The All Together Now Festival in Curraghmore House in Waterford. July 31 to August 3 Arguably the best-ever line-up in the festival's history, with Fontaines DC, Wet Leg, London Grammar, CMAT, and Leftfield among the headliners at Curraghmore Estate in Waterford. Oasis Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis Croke Park, August 16-17 A year later, we'll all have forgotten the pain of trying to get these tickets and the worries of whether the gig will actually happen, and we'll be singing along happily to Live Forever in the Hogan stand. Definitely. Maybe. Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory Cork Opera House, August 19 For her latest project, acclaimed indie singer Sharon Van Etten decided to do something different: A goth-influenced album featuring her bandmates as full contributors and with songs that reflected her formative passion for the Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Being glum has never sounded so much fun. David Gray INEC Killarney, August 27 He was in the headlines recently for voicing his disappointment at a raucous Dublin audience more interested in nattering than listening to his new music — and you can understand Gray's frustration given that his latest LP, Dear Life, is up there with his best. He takes it on the road this summer, including a stop-off in Killarney. Electric Picnic Chappell Roan. Picture:for The Recording Academy Stradbally, August 29-31 Pop star of the hour, Chappell Roan, brings her Pink Pony Club to Stradbally as a headliner of Electric Picnic, with other big names, including Sam Fender, Becky Hill, Kings of Leon, Confidence Man, and Conan Gray. by Ed Power and Nicole Glennon 11 shows and films to stream Sloinne June 8, 15, and 22, 8.30pm, TG4 A search of the history of a particular surname in each episode. Learn about famous and historical figures as well as the clans which shaped the history of Ireland. This week it's Power/de Paor and the focus will be on Ó Loingsigh/Lynch and Ó Gallachóir/Gallagher in coming weeks. Aistear an Amhráin June 10, 7pm, RTÉ One The band from Bishopstown were the first Cork band to play Top of the Pops. This is the heart-warming story behind The Franks and Walters' After All, the iconic Cork 90s indie anthem, now beloved of a whole new generation thanks to The Young Offenders. FUBAR June 12, Netflix Luke Brunner is a veteran CIA operative who, up until recently, was on the verge of retirement. After his last mission in saving another operative — who just so happened to be his daughter — he's back and face to face with new villains. Stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carrie-Anne Moss. Echo Valley Domhnall Gleeson in Echo Valley June 13, Apple TV+ Thriller starring Julianne Moore, Fiona Shaw, Domhnall Gleeson, and Kyle MacLachlan. Kate is a mother struggling to make peace with her troubled daughter Claire — a situation that becomes even more perilous when Claire shows up on Kate's doorstep, hysterical and covered in someone else's blood. As Kate pieces together the shocking truth of what happened, she learns just how far a mother will go to try to save her child in this gripping tale. Mountainhead Sky/NOW A group of billionaire tech bros/friends hide away at an opulent mountain retreat in Utah for a game of poker, each with their own idea of how to solve the world's problems. Stars Steve Carell and Jason Schwartzman, from the creator of Succession. Murder Behind the Mask June 21, Amazon Prime Two-part documentary special on the incredible Graham Dwyer murder investigation with eye-witness testimony and exclusive access to the detectives who brought him to justice. The Bear June 26, Disney+ Carmen, Sydney, and Richie are determined to take The Bear to the next level. With new challenges around every corner, the team must adapt, adjust, and overcome in season four of the hit show. Squid Game Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in Squid Game June 27, Netflix The third and final season follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) after losing his best friend in the game and being driven to utter despair by The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). Gi-hun persists with his goal to put an end to the game, while the Front Man continues onto his next move. Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 3 Live at 11.30pm, July 11, Netflix The highly anticipated trilogy bout between Ireland's pound-for-pound great, undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs), and Brooklyn's Puerto Rican boxing trailblazer, unified featherweight world champion Amanda 'The Real Deal' Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs). Wednesday Jenna Ortega as Wednesday August 6, Netflix Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), returns to prowl the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await. This season, Wednesday must navigate family, friends, and old adversaries, propelling her into another year of delightfully dark and kooky mayhem. The Thursday Murder Club August 28, Netflix Based on Richard Osman's international bestselling novel of the same name, it follows four irrepressible retirees — Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) — who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun. When an unexplained death occurs on their own doorstep, their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn as they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands. By Caroline Delaney 9 blockbusters to see in the cinema How to Train Your Dragon June 13 A remake that blends live action and animation as young Viking Hiccup (Mason Thames) befriends the dragon Toothless when both species find their way of life under threat, much to the displeasure of Hiccup's dad Stoick the Vast (Gerald Butler, reprising his role from the animated movie). Dean DeBlois directs. 28 Years Later June 20 Nearly three decades on from when 'the rage virus' first hit, a small group of survivors venture off the small island where they've found sanctuary to explore their post-apocalyptic world. Danny Boyle directs; Jack O'Connell, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes star. FI: The Movie Joshua Pearce and Brad Pitt in F1 June 25 Having survived a horrific crash, veteran Formula 1 racing driver Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) reluctantly comes out of retirement to mentor hot young prospect Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris) in a movie made in collaboration with the FIA. Joseph Kosinski directs, Javier Bardem, and Kerry Condon co-star. Jurassic Park: Rebirth July 2 When will they ever learn? Five years on from the events of Jurassic Park: Dominion, a team led by Scarlett Johansson and Rupert Friend extracts DNA from three prehistoric beasts with predictably thrilling results. Jonathan Bailey co-stars; Gareth Edwards directs. Superman July 11 A reboot of the original Superman movie, in which the Man of Steel (David Corenswet) accepts the challenge of defending the human race against all comers, and especially the megalomaniac Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane, and James Gunn ( Guardians of the Galaxy) directs. Four Letters of Love July 18 An epic love story featuring miracles and cosmic intervention, as Nicolas (Fionn O'Shea) and Isabel (Ann Skelly) gravitate towards one another and their destiny. The superb supporting cast includes Pierce Brosnan, Helena Bonham Carter, Gabriel Byrne, and Olwen Fouere. Polly Steele directs. Fantastic Four: First Steps July 25 Set on a retro, 1960s-style Earth, this finds superheroes the Fantastic Four (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) battling Galactus, the gigantic cosmic villain who consumes the life-force of whole planets. Matt Shakman directs. Naked Gun Liam Neeson plays Frank in The Naked Gun August 8 Inspired casting has Liam Neeson playing Police Squad's hapless Frank Drebin Jr — he's the son, apparently, of Leslie Nielsen's Frank Drebin; the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree there — in a legacy sequel to the Naked Gun movies. Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser co-star; Akiva Schaffer directs. Caught Stealing August 29 Ex-baseball player Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) gets sucked into New York's criminal underworld in Darren Aronofsky's blackly comic thriller, which is adapted from Charlie Huston's novel. Vincent D'Onofrio, Zoe Kravitz and Liev Schreiber co-star. By Declan Burke 10 albums to download Cynthia Erivo – I Forgive You June 6 It's likely you haven't stopped singing along with Cynthia Erivo since her starring role in Wicked at the end of 2024. Part two arrives in November, but in between Erivo releases her second album I Forgive You. 'Thank you in advance for coming with me on this journey,' she told fans. Little Simz – Lotus June 6 The most exciting act on our list, London rapper Little Simz channels the Streets on Young, one of the pre-release tasters from her sixth album, and wears her heart on her sleeve on Free. She can do anything. MARINA – Princess of Power June 6 Before there was Chappell Roan, Marina (and the Diamonds) flew the maximalist camp-pop sound. Fifteen years after their debut album, they return with Princess of Power. Pulp – More June 6 With plays in Cork likely spiking on the release of the single Spike Island, Pulp are gearing up to release their first studio album in 24 years. Recorded with producer James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Fontaines DC), it's dedicated to bassist Steve Mackey, who passed away in 2023. Lorde – Virgin June 27 It's four years since Lorde's third studio album, the divisive Solar Power. Lorde says: 'I was trying to see myself, all the way through. I was trying to make a document that reflected my femininity.' Kesha – Period July 4 For too long, we've associated Kesha with her long-running court battle with producer Dr Luke. Period is out on her own independent label. 'My name has become synonymous with transparency, integrity, and safety, and I want to ensure that these values are upheld for myself and any future artists signed to my label,' she says. Talos & Olafur Arnalds - A Dreaming July 11 A profound meditation on friendship, loss, and experimentation — one that began as a collaboration and became a totem of their creative kinship following Cork artist Eoin 'Talos' French's passing last summer. Wet Leg – Moisturizer July 11 Responsible for one of the songs of the summer in 2022, Chaise Longue, Isle of Man two-piece Wet Leg packed out gigs and festival slots in the following 18 months. Can they repeat the trick with second album Moisturizer? 'I thought I was straight all of my life until I met my current partner — these love songs are about them,' explains singer Rhian Teasdale. Joe Bonamassa – Breakthrough July 18 With two sold out dates Live at the Marquee, playing Rory Gallagher tunes, and a third on sale, it might be the summer of Joe Conamassa in Cork. The blues/rock giant releases his latest album on July 18. CMAT – Euro-Country August 29 CMAT hasn't put a cowboy boot wrong since releasing her debut album in 2022, and with third album Euro-Country enjoying backing from BBC 6 Music, who knows how high her star will rise this year. She's already sold out the 3Arena in December. By Eoghan O'Sullivan 9 books to throw in your beachbag Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid out now Taylor Jenkins Reid is a darling of #BookTok, with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six amassing much praise. Her newest book is set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle programme about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits. Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil by VE Schwab June 10 The bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue returns with a genre-defying novel about a young woman living an idyllic but cloistered life on her family's estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Thirst Trap by Gráinne O'Hare June 12 This debut novel is a Belfast-set coming-of-age story about the friendships that endure through the very best and the very worst of times. The In-Laws by Sinead Moriarty July 3 A funny and relatable novel about the struggles of being a modern woman surviving the family you didn't choose. A Murder in Paris by Matthew Blake July 3 In this gripping new crime thriller from the bestselling author of Anna O, an expert in memory must uncover the truth about her family's wartime past. Not Quite Dead by Holly Jackson July 17 On Halloween night, Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder and suffers a catastrophic brain injury. She spends the last week of her life trying to solve her own murder in the first novel for adults from the author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Jibrin by Izz and Eman Alkarajeh July 31 Beloved Palestinian couple Izz and Eman Alkarajeh share recipes from their Cork City café, Café Izz, that will take you on a culinary journey of their homeland. The Stranger Inside by Amanda Cassidy August 7 The latest thriller from the bestselling author of The Perfect Place. You're behind bars, framed for your husband's murder. Your daughter is slowly dying. You get one chance to run — do you take it? Tart by Becki Jane Crossley Aug 14 Can she discover who she really is before she loses everyone? A heartwarming friends-to-lovers queer romance about coming out and finding yourself along the way. By Denise O'Donoghue 10 things to do with the kids Zoorassic Trail Takeover June 26-29 Treat the dino-obsessives in the family to a trip to Dublin Zoo. The Zoorassic Trail Takeover will feature talks from 'Dino Don' Lessem, the expert who advised Stephen Spielberg on Jurassic Park and has now created life-sized animatronic giants for the zoo's new dinosaur exhibition. Children will get to hear Don's stories at these talks and view some of his fossils before they explore the new exhibition. Kaleidoscope Festival July 4-6 Taking place in Wicklow's Russborough House, this family-friendly festival offers live music from bands like Ocean Colour Scene and Texas, entertainment from Mark The Science Guy, art classes with the National Gallery, baby sensory sessions, silent teen discos, and more. Cork on a Fork Fest August 13-17 Introduce children to the joy of good food. Ticketed events include pizza parties, sensory cooking classes, and a children's food trail as well as free events like farm tours, markets, and street entertainment. Ballycotton Sea Adventures Enjoy a day on the high seas. They will bring you from Ballycotton Pier in East Cork to Ballycotton Island, where you will disembark for an entertaining tour of a 170-year-old lighthouse. Castlecomer Discovery Park An ideal destination for thrill-seekers. Situated in 80 acres of forest in Kilkenny, it's free for families to visit and enjoy its woodland walks. However, you're unlikely to be able to resist its paid activities which include ziplines, climbing walls, axe throwing and archery. Boda Borg at Lough Key Put your family spirit to the ultimate test at the Adventure of Boda Borg in Roscommon's Lough Key forest park. This interactive experience involves families being set a series of quests that involve physical challenges and brain-boggling puzzles. There are no guides or instructions, which means you have no choice but to work together. Irish National Heritage Park Travel back in time in Wexford. Over 16 sites that include a megalithic tomb, ringfort and crannog, this open-air museum recreates life in Ireland from the Stone Age up to the time of the Normans. Emerald Park The Ques' rollercoaster at Emerald Park With 45 rides from adrenaline-inducing rollercoasters to flume rides and merry-go-rounds, there really is something for everyone. There is also a petting zoo, water play area and a bumper car race track. Teidí Tours These tours involve young GAA fans making their own GAA-themed teddy and then being shown around Croke Park and its adjoining museum before testing their football and hurling skills in the interactive games zone. Ballyhass Aquapark Imagine a giant inflatable obstacle course set on the water. That's what you will find at this aqua park in Mallow. It's perfect for families who enjoy outdoor fun, water sports and jumping, sliding and bouncing as they compete to be the first to the finish line. by Sharon Ní Chonchúir Free days out Libraries are a great free resource. Picture: iStock The first Wednesday of every month the OPW offers free admission to their properties on a first come/first served basis. Corkonians can visit Charles Fort and Garinish Island for free, for example, and the main list can be found on the Heritage Ireland website. Join the Irish Museum of Modern Art for a free workshop. IMMA has a wide range of workshops on offer, ranging from Botanical Printing to Exploring Queer Identity and Creativity. Check out the IMMA website for more booking information and remember the Museum is always free to enter, with beautiful grounds to explore, and only a short walk from Heuston Station. One of the country's biggest summer family fun events will take place on July 5 - 6 on the grounds of Newbridge House and Farm, in North County Dublin. Entry is free for those who walk, cycle, or travel by public transport. Visitors can expect oodles of entertainment, great food, and plenty for all ages to enjoy. Galway International Arts Festival takes place July 14 - 27 and while some events require a prebooked ticket, the Festival Garden in Eyre Square is free to visit, along with the Visual Art Installation 'Interface' within a short drive of the city centre. The free highlight will occur on the evenings of Friday 18 and Saturday 19, les Insectes Fantastiques parade from Eyre Square and encourage onlookers to step into the Microcosmos. Expect to be wowed by light, sound, and puppetry. Get closer to nature, take a hike and visit a Coillte forest trail. You can find a full list of walking/hiking trails on the Coillte website and don't forget your picnic! Ireland is home to some incredible food markets, and all are free to visit, although you may leave with your wallet a little lighter and your shopping bags fuller. Some of my favourites include the Milk Market in Limerick, George's Market in Belfast, and Midleton Farmers' Market. Did you know that the National Archives provides a free genealogy advisory service every weekday? Located on Bishop's Street in Dublin, this might be your prompt to investigate your family history with some professional help. The daily service operates on a first-come/first-served basis. Find out more on the National Archives website. Visit one of Ireland's official national parks. Learn about nature and conservation, experience the breathtaking power of nature and see the stunning scenery. Trek or hike during the day or stargaze at night. I recommend Glenveagh in Donegal and the Burren in Clare, but each park is unique, and all are free to visit. We all know that Irish weather is temperamental, and many free things to do tend to be outdoors. Which is why our network of National Libraries are a wonderful free resource to tap into this summer. From talks to workshops, podcasting and even learning new skills, your local library has it all. By Caitríona Redmond Read More 30 special spots across Munster and Ireland that are perfect for summer dining
Irish Examiner
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Ralph McTell: 'The first time I played Cork was a bit of a disaster'
Ralph McTell has always had the wind in his hair. In 1962, as a 17-year-old, he hit the road, busking with his guitar around Europe. He didn't have a plan or know where he was going. He did buy a map before setting off, but it was in eight tattered pieces by the time he got to the south of France. It was a time when beatniks like himself hitchhiked everywhere because it was more 'noble'. 'I left home with a 10-shilling note inside the little pocket in my Levi jeans in case of an emergency,' says McTell. 'I had my guitar. The first time I had left home, I left with a blanket for image, but the second time I took a cheap sleeping bag. I hitchhiked on my own. I'd stay the night in places, have something to eat and move on. I had plans to get to India, but I only made it as far as Istanbul.' McTell is still on the road. As part of the celebrations for his 80th year, he's undertaking his biggest Irish tour yet, having first played in Ireland in Belfast in 1969, just as the Troubles were kicking off. He consistently returned to Northern Ireland when most of his peers sidestepped the war-torn region. In 1976, before one gig in Belfast, the audience gave him a standing ovation before he played a single note, just for turning up. McTell's maiden trip to Cork was anticlimactic. 'The first time I played Cork was at the Connolly Hall and I think there were 30 people there,' he says with a morbid chuckle. 'It was a bit of a disaster, but I'm delighted to say the last time I played there was at the Cork Opera House and it sold out. I've got some lovely friends down that way.' The legendary singer-songwriter shares a long friendship with the Dubliners, in particular with John Sheahan, and one-time member Jim McCann. McTell toured Australia at the same time as the group in 1975. His friendship with the late Luke Kelly goes back to the early 1960s, before McTell's professional music career took off. 'I first saw Luke Kelly in a folk club when I was quite young,' he says. 'Luke was a resident there. He was under the influence of Ewan MacColl and singers of that ilk, very left wing. I was interested mostly in simple country, old timey American music and banjos. Somebody said, 'Oh, there's this banjo player from Ireland up in north London.' I went to see him with a friend of mine. 'It was the first time I glimpsed what a passionate singer looks and sounds like. It was frightening – the way he delivered with no microphone, just the power of the voice and personality. He had a reputation of being a grumpy fella, but I always felt he had another life outside of music. "He was a deep thinker. Whenever I went to Dublin, I'd dig him out in his pub. He'd be sitting there with a heavy newspaper, a packet of Major cigarettes and a pint of stout. We were always pleased to see each other.' Luke Kelly was the first person McTell sent his song From Clare to Here to, one of the great ballads about Irish emigration. The song was released in 1976 – and has been covered by numerous artists, including Nanci Griffith – but its origins go back to an incident in the early 1960s when McTell was working as a labourer on a building site in south London. 'There was an Irish gang working on the site,' he says. 'There was one boy – I would say he was lying about his age, drawing men's wages – he was about 15. He was from rural Clare. Ralph McTell in London in 1975. Picture: Evening Standard/. "I never knew the town. I only ever knew him by his first name, and he probably had a different name for the [illegal] contract he was on. I tried to be a big brother to him. He was already getting locked into the Irish ghetto syndrome, where when you're away from home, you only stay with Irish lads, you drink your wages, and you have a hard time. 'We were digging a deep trench, down the bottom of this hole. I paused to roll a cigarette. I tried to make conversation. I said, 'It must be a bit odd for you, Michael, being over here, being from the country and all that.' "He answered by saying, 'Jaysus, it's a long way from Clare to here' and carried on digging. I always tell people if he had said, 'It's a long way from here to Clare' I would have accepted that and it would have gone, but because he put 'home' first, I knew in that little one-line poem that that's where his heart lay. In such moments, inspiration lies.' Ralph McTell will be performing at the Cork Opera House, 8pm, Sunday, May 11. See: Isle of Wight Festival 1970 The Isle of Wight festival in 1970 was the last of the three original festivals. The organisers expected around 150,000 to attend, but more than four times that arrived on the island. The Guinness Book of Records estimated the total attendance was between 600,000 and 700,000, more than attended Woodstock the previous year. Jimi Hendrix, who died a few weeks after the festival, was the star attraction on the bill. He was joined on stage by artists such as the Doors, the Who, Miles Davis, Leonard Cohen, Rory Gallagher and Joni Mitchell. Ralph McTell, who performed on the main stage on the festival's fifth and final day, wore his lucky shirt – a red tennis shirt he traded in Milan in 1965 for a set of strings – for the gig. Festival-goers heading to the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1970. Picture: Evening Standard/. 'I was living out in Cornwall in an old battered caravan in a field when this gig came in,' says McTell. 'I no idea what I was walking into. I just turned up with the guitar. My manager arranged it all. He was in London. We met and went to the place. I could feel the atmosphere, an excitement like nothing I'd ever felt before, like the atmosphere at a boxing match – where there's a lot of energy flying about, not just from the ring, but from the people who go. 'I felt that with the people that were there. It was our festival. It was the end of something, rather than the beginning – it was the end of the dream because we all thought music and poetry was the way the world was going, but reality bit at the festival when some mob pushed the fences down and they declared it a free festival. My manager panicked, so I never got to see Jimi Hendrix. 'Kris Kristofferson was on before me. When I walked out on stage it was ridiculous – I had a stool and two microphones. I did a 45-minute set. "I don't remember anything about it except I got an encore and I couldn't get out to play it. Looking back, it was an important moment for me. I'm one of the festival's survivors. Recently, a mural was commissioned with those performers still alive. Hand prints were made and turned into an artwork.' Read More Matt Cranitch takes a bow for lifetime of musical achievement
Irish Examiner
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
'There's so much creativity': Cork has a cut off its first Fringe Festival
Does Cork need a fringe festival? With the inaugural Cork Fringe Festival taking place a month before the Cork Midsummer Festival (CMF), its directors, Daniel Cremin and Ineke Lavers believe there is a gap in the festival market for emerging developmental work that may not be ready for something like the CMF. 'It's an opportunity for artists to workshop new projects in a low risk environment and potentially, to maybe bring it to the CMF,' says Cremin. He describes himself as a magician, a performer and producer, having started playing with magic at the age of four. He now does 'psychological magic' in theatre-based shows. Lavers is an arts producer working from Cork and Abu Dhabi. Locally, she has worked with the likes of CMF, the Cork Opera House and the Cork Theatre Collective. The two directors met while they were doing a masters in arts management and creative producing at UCC, in collaboration with Cork Opera House. 'There is so much creativity in Cork; so many groups of artists but they're all quite isolated from each other. The theatre people stay with each other, the music people stay with musicians. We feel there is huge potential for cross collaboration within the arts,' says Lavers. Cremin adds that some Cork artists bring their performances to the Dublin Fringe Festival. 'They should be able to perform in Cork.' When the call went out for acts to apply to the Cork Fringe Festival, Cremin and Lavers received 120 applications when they were only expecting about 40 expressions of interest. They have whittled down the applicants and over the three days of the festival, there will be 20 events across ten venues. Fourteen of the events are produced by Cremin and Lavers. The other six events are produced by people that already stage events in the city and wish to do something specifically for the festival. The Cork Fringe Festival is funded through ticket sales, private donations and sponsors. 'The Everyman [one of the venues for the festival] is a partner, helping us in terms of putting together budgets and making sure we have all our contracts in place. Also, last August we went to the World Fringe Congress in Stockholm. There are over 300 fringe festivals around the world and every two years, people from them meet up in a different city for a week. We got to make really good connections and learned a lot about how to put together a fringe festival. We have a really good relationship with the Reykjavik Fringe Festival.' Cremin admits that developing a fringe festival can be overwhelming when it hasn't been done before. 'The main challenge is that there are only two of us. I guess the biggest challenge we faced at the beginning was having to say 'no' to artists,' he says. The artists will be paid from ticket sales with a 70/30 split. 'The 30% goes on organising the tech and marketing for the shows. Ineke and myself are working voluntarily this year. The hope is that next year through our Arts Council application, there will be a producers' fee included in that budget. We're operating on a minimal budget. This year, it's really about getting the festival on its feet and having a proof of concept. The festival has a capability for about 1,700 people but we don't need to reach that audience figure to be able to sustain it.' The festival is using both traditional spaces such as the Everyman, the Granary Theatre and the TDC (Theatre Development Centre) at the Triskel. Unconventional spaces include the Marina Market as well as art galleries, the Laneway and the Lavit, which will be the site of unusual events. At the Laneway Gallery on Shandon Street, there will be an interactive game of 'trace the dot'. When a canvas is initially installed, it will be blank. As visitors trace a dot, an underlying image will slowly reveal itself. There will be a double bill at the Everyman, as well as another show in the Everyman bar. At the Granary Theatre, a story about identity and road kill takes place, in a show entitled A Xerox of a Deer. There's traditional fare at Forde's Bar near South Gate Bridge in an event called The 3 B's. Beamish, bodice and ballads will be on offer. 'By the end of the night, you'll feel like a true Corkonian,' they promise. The Cork Fringe Festival takes place from May 9-11. See
