An inspirational story of love, joy, and a unique way of life for a Tipperary family

The great joy, love and hardship of family life is beautifully captured in a unique book launched in Cahir .
It tells, in her own words, the wonderful story of Agnes Sullivan and her life from an era of cabaret and circus.

The End Of The Strolling Players is a story about a woman growing up in Ireland on a travelling show and the people she met along the way.

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It is a history of bygone days, a story of love with her husband Paddy and the family they reared making their home in Cahir in 1979.
“They wanted a quiet place to stay for the winter months and Cahir is where the base of the family was,” said her son Kevin.

Her memoirs were discovered by her Kevin in an attic and he lovingly edited them and published the book which he knew it was always something his mother wanted to do.

“She never dared to dream it would be published so I am delighted is it now,” said Kevin.

Kevin said he was very proud of what his mother had written and how she had captured the world of fitups, circus and the travelling shows. Kevin said it was a world that he and all his siblings were part of as they would have all left their home in Cahir from March to November travelling the length and breath of the country.

“I was born into the fitups as were my brothers and sisters and it was a great life,” said Kevin who stayed involved in the funfairs up to 1991.

He remembers the excitement in the towns and villages when they would arrive and he remembers how important an occasion it was for the people of those communities.

“You were treated like celebrities when you arrived in those towns and villages, you pulled up and everybody was talking about what was going on.

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“It was a great life as a teenager, I would not recommend it now , but the 80s were the time of my life,” said Kevin.
Kevin said the manner in which his mother recalls those experiences was unpretentious and brutally honest about the hardships and joy of the life involved.

“Nobody has ever written a book about this way of life. Throughout her years, she made many entries into her diaries, which she treasured to her last days. These dairies were later used to draw together all the memories over the years and the emotions attached to them,” said Kevin.

“My mother, Agnes, will forever be known as an intellecutal and well-versed woman, that fought for her family and didn’t mind which boat she rocked.However, to me and my siblings, she will always be Mam. A beautiful, caring and inspirational mother and wife, that taught us to value the arts and appreciate what we have in life, and now her story, and indeed the story of Irish showbusiness, is here for all to read,” said Kevin.

The book was launched last Friday night at the Cahir House Hotel.
It was a very proud night for all of the Sullivan family and their friends.

On the night there was entertainment provided from Agnes’ descendants, as well as a special piano piece written by her great grandson, titled The End Of The Strolling Players especially written for the night.
The story of Agnes Sullivan and her family is now the subject of an RTE Documentary to be broadcast on RTE Radio One, on Thursday, October 27 at 2pm.

Produced by Ronan Kelly, with the inclusion of many people who lived through the time, as well as excerpts from the book read by an actor.