Johnny Collins and his dad Micheal Collins
Ireland Shed A Tear?
A new play by writer and actor Michael Collins.
To be performed at The New Theatre, Dublin from September 28 until October 2, as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.
Written to commemorate the first anniversary of the Carrickmines tragedy, Ireland Shed a Tear? is a new play by acclaimed writer and actor, Michael Collins (Pavee Lackeen, Killinaskully, Glenroe, King of the Travellers).
Using song and poetry, it portrays the life experiences of one Traveller family, while engaging the wider community in a dynamic and lighthearted way.
In the aftermath of the fire that claimed the lives of ten members of the Connors and Gilbert families, including a pregnant mother, Tom sees the introduction of a national fire safety audit of Traveller accommodation as an opportunity for a better life for his family.
Living conditions, safety, and issues with his local council might finally be resolved. However, he soon discovers that the battle is far from over.
See here for tickets and times.
Previously: The Trouble With Travellers
I’ll take the bait…..
I live roughly a mile from a long established, council built and maintained Traveller halting site. It has all the modern facilities necessary for comfortable, safe Traveller requirements, needed to accommodate their specific way of life. It is within easy access of local amenities, schools, playgrounds, shopping etc and it is within the confines of the town as opposed to being stuck at the back of an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere.
For some reason, not of the making of the council, the state, the local settled community or any other nominated excuse on the day, its a veritable dump in a constant state of untidiness and general lack of upkeep. Its regularly the scene of vandalism by the occupants, fires are common place and it will regularly be attended by the guards who have to referee feuds between the residents of said halting site and other traveller families in a near by council estate.
What happened to those people in Carrickmines is awful. Its correct to feel that everybody should be provided for at a very basic level but at some point people have to take responsibility for their own actions. It seems the Traveller groups, Pavve Point in particular, is too interested in keeping the traveller population looking as oppressed as possible, positively thriving on an excuse the past governments might have given them to feel ostracised.
The truth today, at an establishment level anyway, is that the state provides for all of traveller needs in a modern society. Cultural differences are not distinguished for (by the state) at any other level in Irish society except for Irish Travellers . Should Roma be accommodated with different living quarters! Should African immigrants be granted tin huts and hay roofs like that of their homelands! Nonsense. Grow up, engage positively and stop eternally playing the victim in search of further subsidy.
Oh I can smell the high horse brigade already
Ah don’t be racist.. :)
That John Connors was on the late late again. He tweetered something like, I made it up with my ‘owl’ pal Ryan.
Fupp me.. That was my Friday evening. Fupping Sunday mass wouldn’t have been more entertaining, and he hasn’t an ounce of humour about him – John Connors I mean. Goes without saying about Turbridy.
I feel sorry for the child who is being ghettoized for life as a fictitious , downtrodden,”ethnic minority” when he is obviously an intelligent boy who should be raised as an equal citizen to become whatever he likes .
the traveller community wouldn’t pay for the funerals of the victims of the Carrickmines fire. The state quietly paid for it… lest flames be fanned.
a fostered culture of dependency
My sentiments exactly.
Howya boss.
Curse a God.
Looks like a great play. Thanks for sharing Bodger.
There’s an interview with a gay traveller in the Irish Independent. He speaks of extreme homophobia in the community.