In July 2007 a new play - written by Midwest Radio presenter Tommy Marren - was staged in County Mayo as part of a charity initiative undertaken by the station. At that time there were no plans to perform the play again but such has been the demand that five months later this exceptional stage play has been seen by over 5000 people in Mayo, Sligo and Galway and demand to bring the play to other parts of Ireland and beyond have been flooding in.
Entitled "The Banshee of Crookey Hill" the play centers on the return home from Manchester after 13 years away by Mickey McMahon (Tommy Marren) to visit his parents Jack McMahon (John Duggan) and his wife Kathleen (Eileen Slevin) who live in a small cottage in the west of Ireland. The purpose of his visit is to tell them he is about to get married in Manchester but sadly a black secret kept from him by his parents unfolds.
The arrival of the local gossip Molly Andy (Mary Mannion) unearths a dark story associated with the house built on a fairy fort where the McMahons live and a legend that a Banshee has put a spell on the house itself isn't without foundation. The storyline unfolds in a tense scene between Molly Andy and Mickey and slowly the audience are putting the pieces of the jigsaw together.
The storyline keeps the audience guessing right until the last minute and nobody will predict the dramatic finale that will unfold. The play is steeped in hilarious one liners and a lively "hooley" takes pace in the kitchen that includes a spell-blinding exhibitions of brush dancing that has the a audiences enthralled.
"There is definitely something very unique about this drama. People have come to see the show on two or three occasions and I suppose that is the true worth of any show. What audiences love about the play is that it has everything from comedy, music and song, dance, intrigue, suspense and above all a most unusual story line
Recently the cast of fifteen sat down and decided to bring the play to both the UK and America. In April the show will be performed for three nights in Chicago but before that the Irish Community in Manchester will have the chance to see it 'in the flesh' where two performances will take place here at the Irish World Heritage Centre in February 2008.
Performance dates
Thursday 14th February - 8.00pm. Ticket (adv) £15.00
Friday 15th February - 8.00pm. Ticket (adv) £15.00
Tickets for the two performances can be obtained from the Irish World Heritage Centre - please call 0161 205 4007.
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