Our own local "údar agus oide" was brought to life before our eyes but we also got a glimpse of the great man as father and husband. Owen shared his unique insights into everyday life with a disciplined writer, a man of fixed habits but above all a story teller extraordinaire. Maybe a more fitting title would be " údar, scéalaí agus oide" .
Owen's enormous pride in his father shone through in every anecdote. Bryan MacMahon was a writer deeply rooted in his native place. He respected and honoured his own people: he celebrated them in ballads and stories but he always treated them gently and with a tolerant teacher's understanding of the shortcomings of the human condition.
The singing of Karen Trench, Philip Enright and Sonny Egan added to this gem of a performance; for me the theatrical high point of this year's Writers' Week.
<<<<<
I met a group of old Listowellians, pictured below, reunited as they left St. John's after another vituoso local performance from essayist, Cyril Kelly. Cyril has the gift of turning the minutae of everyday life as he lives it, into charming evocative pieces with universal appeal.
His essays are a delight to read on the page but far far more delightful when read in his distinctive musical voice.
 |
| Cyril Kelly reading in St. John's |
 |
| Vincent Carmody introducing Cyril to the audience. |
Cyril gave a second performance on Saturday in Tae Lane Store where he spoke about growing up in the house of a milliner. I'll tell you more about that tomorrow.
School friends and old neighbors, Máire MacMahon and Anne Cogan met up during writers' Week 2013.
<<<<<<<<
This picture of Ballybunion on Friday June 8 2013 comes from
No comments:
Post a Comment