Theatrical spectacle draws huge crowds to Kickham Barracks

Clonmel Junction Arts have created the largest theatrical production to take place in Tipperary, and a major component of the national ART:2023 Decade of Centenaries programme.

From Out The Land  ran at the Kickham Barracks, a stunning location for an inspirational story. It really was a show not to be missed.

Up to 300 people enjoyed the theatrical experience on Wednesday night, a gifted and talented cast providing the appreciative audience with a wonderful insight into the personal stories of life as a soldier at Kickham Barracks.
From Out the Land was an outdoor theatrical spectacle for the new civic space in Clonmel, the former Kickham Barracks site. Bringing a talented creative team and local historians together with a large citizen ensemble, and professional actors and musicians, Clonmel Junction produced a large-scale theatre show with music, from an original script directed by Jack Reardon.

“I was 17 when Kickham Barracks closed. Stood in my High School uniform by the Suir, watching the men and women of my home barracks march out one final time. In truth, the significance of the day didn’t dawn on me until months ago. I had watched our town’s protectors leave after three and a half centuries,” remembers Jack.

“Researching From Out the Land, we were privileged to meet with veterans of Kickham Barracks, active members of the Defence Forces, work with Tipperary Museum of Hidden Histories and of course meet members of the Wives and Partners Committee who fought to keep Kickham Barracks open in 2012. The endless stories, anecdotes, secrets, and discoveries were inspiring. We were tasked with a job of telling an impossible story. The story of Ireland, of Clonmel, of us. This is a Kickham Barracks story as opposed to the Kickham Barracks story. Characters represent groups of people, generations of families and collections of stories. About Clonmel, with Clonmel, for Clonmel – this has always been our mantra while creating this production,” he said.

From Out The Land told stories inspired by real-life events that happened in the barracks.

EASTER SUNDAY
The first story followed Will and Padraig who signed up to fight in World War One. Their story began in Victoria Barracks, which became Kickham Barracks by the time they leave. Based in experiences from the Decade of Centenaries period of 1914-1923, it followed iconic events like the Easter Rising, Bloody Sunday and the Civil War from the perspective of soldiers in the barracks.
The second story took place years later, when a young man from the industrial school in Ferryhouse joins the Defence Forces.
LEBANON
The play followed Declan’s career and life, focusing on his time serving in The Lebanon with the United Nations Peacekeeping forces in the 1980s.
The final story was about Declan’s daughter Ella, and the efforts of the Wives and Partners group to keep Kickham Barracks open in 2012.
The range of stories that were told to the writers and actors are reflected in this script by Jack Reardon and Aine Ryan.

TIME PERIODS
The play moveed through these different time periods, with the choir, music and staging setting the scene for each period. It was the largest theatrical production ever staged in Tipperary, with a cast of over 100 people, live music, special effects and wonderful choreography adding drama and colour to the show.
Set in the barracks itself, the spectacular set used the former Officers Mess as a backdrop to the action. It’s a play for both arts afficionados and history lovers, which takes a unique Clonmel and Tipperary angle on the national history of these periods.

THE TALENTED CAST
The cast included Liz FitzGibbon, Éanna Grogan, Dylan Kennedy, Ciara Laste, Julie Maguire, Cathal Ryan and Darragh Shannon, with a large Citizen Ensemble made up of Clonmel people from 14 to 82 years of age.