A day in the life of Siamsa Tíre

THERE must be very few people in Kerry who haven’t attended a show at Siamsa Tíre’s theatre in Tralee, whether one of the National Folk Theatre’s own incredible productions or one of the countless shows that have been staged in Siamsa by professional companies or local amateur troupes.

While most will be familiar with the theatre – with thousands passing it every day – few realise just how much work goes into running a facility like Siamsa on a day to day basis.

In recent weeks the team at Siamsa invited The Kerryman and photographer Domnick Walsh to visit the theatre and get a feel for what goes on behind the scenes.

The bast analogy is probably that of a jigsaw and a very complicated one at that.

The Siamsa team is led by CEO Catríona Fallon who manages the theatre along with a core team of about fifteen to twenty staff.

These include the management and box office team who – as well as overseeing the daily running of the theatre – are also tasked with scheduling all the performances that take place at the theatre.

That is a remarkably complicated task with Fallon and her team forced to balance Siamsa’s own needs with the requirements and availability of local performance troupes, touring comics or musicians and various professional companies. There is also the need to meet the requirements of the various national bodies who provide Siamsa with funding and who stipulate that a specific art forms – ballet or classical music for example – a featured in the theatre’s programme. The back bone of Siamsa’s schedule is provided by the company’s own productions which run over the summer months and involve dancers, musicians, singers and backstage staff from all over the county. These performers are backed up by Siamsa highly skilled technical team. When their not fine tuning every aspect of Siamsa’s own productions the tech team spends the rest of the year catering for many touring performers who visit the theatre every single week. This can be as simple as hanging a backdrop and setting up a spot light for a solo performer to setting up complex lighting rigs and prop fly lines for large touring productions. It’s a tough job that often involves 15 hour days but its all worth it when you see the magic on stage.

Picture perfect. Jimmy McDonald makes sure the paintings in Siamsa’s gallery are all aligned perfectly.

An exact science. Siamsa Tíre’s Technical Director Des Hurley adjusts the lights in the rigging high above the stage.

Siamsa Tíre’s Choral Mistress Geraldine Hurley leads some of the National Folk Theatre’s choral section during rehearsals backstage at Siamsa’s theatre in Tralee Town Park.

The nuts and bolts of the production. Des Hurley oils bolts for the theatre’s complicated lighting and prop rigging system

The man behind it all. Fr Pat Ahern from Moyvane who led the group that founded Siamsa Tire back in 1974.

Members of Siamsa’s extensive choral section take part in a rehearsal in the backstage dance studio at the theatre in Tralee.

Siama Tíre Musical Director Tom Hanfin and Kerry traditionial music guru Nicky McAuliffe work with some of the Folk Theatre’s many young musicians.

The lighting wizard. Award winning technician John Hurley in his sound and lighting control booth above the auditorium.

Gemma Hurley at work in the sound and lighting technician’s box in the main auditorium.

Siamsa’s PR Manager Michelle Murphy (right) chats with Box Office Manager Siobhan Brennan.

Siamsa Folk Choir member Andrea Brosnan takes a break from practice in the Siamsa rehearsal studio.

Guests arrive for one of Siamsa’s productions.

Siamsa Tíre’s current CEO Catríona Fallon.