SIOBHÁN’S BIG ROLE IN ABBEY’S NATIONAL SHOW
DERRY GIRLS TV STAR RECALLS SHEBEEN -OWNING CORK CHARACTER KATTY BARRY IN ONLINE SHOW
CORK actress and Derry Girls star Siobhan McSweeney and Young Offenders script writer Karen Cogan teamed up to take part in the monologue marathon devised by the Abbey Theatre to stage performances during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The London based duo were among 50 actors and performers who took part in the ‘Dear Ireland’ project which was staged over four nights last week. Each writer provided a selected actor a monologue script which was performed and filmed by the actor in their own home.
The piece performed by Siobhan McSweeney recalled the famous city character, Katty Barry, a famous Cork character who owned and ran a shebeen on Dalton’s Avenue near the Coal Quay. Katty became so famous that she had a verse composed in her honour in the famous Cork anthem, The Boys of Fairhill.
When Katty took over the eating house established by her parents, the shebeen served a menu of traditional Irish food, including crubeens, drisheen and pig’s trotters, and the atmosphere was friendly and raucous.
It was said that Barry’s was frequented by peers and paupers alike, and all were treated the same, with nightly songs and stories. Despite having no licence, and being repeatedly fined, Barry served alcohol, often late at night. She is said to have recognised some of her customers among the judges and barristers in the courts.
In the performance last week, Siobhan played Katty as she might be today – she died in 1982 – and how she would be coping with the current pandemic.
“I hadn’t heard of Katty Barry before this,” said Siobhán. “Karen’s friend back in Cork told her about her, she sounded quite formidable. I believe the premise is that the ghost of Katty Barry is looking over the area right now watching the houses as people deal with whats going on in their different ways. a no nonsense attitude.
“She has seen it all, hence ‘it will pass, it will pass, just not quite yet’.
“It’s weird not having the live audience, but I’m delighted the Abbey has done this.”
Among the other performers to take part in the Dear Ireland project were Brendan Gleeson, Dawn Bradfield and Marie Mullen. Writers include Carmel Winters, Edna O’Brien and Blindboy Boatclub.
The directors of the national theatre, Neil Murray and Graham McLaren, have described the ‘Dear Ireland’ project as a ‘national conversation’.
The Abbey Theatre is more than the walls which house its productions, and the work of Ireland’s national theatre responds and will continue to reflect the challenges being faced by Irish society.
“In addition to making new art for audiences, we felt it was important to act fast, to document this moment artistically, whilst helping theatre makers financially, a community which has been greatly impacted by the closure, cancellation or postponement of many artistic projects,” they said.
The Dear Ireland project is available to view on the Abbey Theatre’s Youtube channel.