Translations

Last night there was a retirement party for Joe Kirke, a colleague of mine. He had taught for thirty two years in St. Macartan's College. It was a very pleasant occasion, tinged with some sadness of course.
It brought back memories to me of a play performed in 1985 by Accompany Theatre in the college theatre. Accompany Theatre was a group founded by Tony Hennessy and myself the year before. We had ambitious plans for staging impressive theatrical productions in the Monaghan area. Tony was the Director and I was the Stage Designer. Between us we did everything else too, including lighting, financing, sound, publicity, make-up and performing. They were very exciting times. Our first play was Alan Ayckbourne's, Bedroom Farce, followed by the musical, Annie. Our third production was Brian Friel's , Translations and Joe had the main part of Captain Lancey.
At the retirement party last night, Joe was accompanied by his two children and his wife Mary. Mary was in Translations too. She played the part of Maire Cathach and and the romance that blossomed on stage between the two main characters continued off stage and Joe and Mary soon married.
I played the part of Doalty Dan Doalty and it so happened that the Dj last night was Martin Markey, who had played Lieutenant Yolland.



I loved the set we made for the show but I felt there was something missing. I told Tony it needed hens, real ones, to wander around the stage in the opening scene. Lovely white hens materialised at the dress rehearsal. A technical problem arose when the house lights went down. The hens got confused and fell off the front of the stage and strolled among the small group of invited friends. Amidst chuckles of laughter they were lifted back up but promptly fell back down again.
Our current parish priest: Fr. Hubert Martin was a teacher in the school with us at the time. Fr. Hubert came from a farming background and I explained the predicament I had with the hens. Without blinking an eye he conjured the solution instantly. "Put the hens downstairs in the dressing room on the day of the performance and don't give them anything to eat. When they are due to go on stage sprinkle plenty of feed for them at the back of the stage" We followed the instructions and on the opening night the hens pecked away happily downstage until it was time for them to make their exit. For the remainder of the performances, they continued to perform impeccably and never once fell into the audience.
The photograph above includes Joe (Captain Lancey), his wife Mary (Maire Cathach) and their two children. Martin Markey (Lieutenant Yolland) is the Dj in the background. I (Doalty Dan Doalty) am not in the picture because I took the photograph.
The photograph below is the set for Accompany Theatre's production of Translations.