Declan O’Rourke

Declan O’Rourke brings his new show, The Chronicles of The Great Irish Famine to the Hawk’s Well Theatre on Friday 22nd December, as part of a nationwide tour.

Fifteen years in the making, this epic song cycle combines the best of traditional Irish music and the heart of modern song-writing to present a series of extraordinar y true tales from the most dynamic period in Irelands histor y. Inspired by John O’Connor’s book “The Workhouses of Ireland” O’Rourke wrote ‘Poor Boys Shoes’ the fir st song of the collection, and recalls, “The hair stood up on my neck when I read the lines: ‘The man who carried his wife from the workhouse to their old home, mile after weary mile, and was discovered next morning dead, his wife’s feet held to his breast as if he was tr ying to warm them...’ I had stumbled into a chapter of histor y I knew almost nothing about. I wanted to be a witness, to share these stories the best way I knew how, through music.” Known as the Great Irish Famine, An Gorta Mór was by far the most impactful era in the recorded histor y of Ireland. The effect on the population was so devastating that seven generations and 170 years l ater, Irelands population is still far from where it was in the 1840s. The Famine marked the beginning of a boom in Irish immigration resulting in over 80 million across the world claiming Irish heritage today.

Tickets for this event are €25 with a special rate of €12.50 for u18s. An additional €1 Renovation Fee will also be added to tickets which are available from the Hawk’s Well Theatre Box Office on 071 916 1518 or www.hawkswell.com.