New play set in Carrick-on-Suir brings you on a trip down memory lane to the 1960s

Caption for photo above: The cast and backstage crew of It’s Now or Never’ pictured outside Greenhill Nursing Home in Carrick From Left: Tudor Artisan Hub founder Linda Fahy, who was the project director, producer, editor and sound engineer; cast members Neill Bourke, Sheenagh Raggett, Aileen O’Keeffe and Enda O’Driscoll, Director Mary McGrath, drama consultant Maria Clancy and drama project partner Paula O’Dwyer.

A new play about four young people on a night out at a Carrick-on-Suir dance hall in the 1960s has been created with the help of the shared memories of 20 senior citizens who lived through that period.

“It’s Now or Never”, named after the famous Elvis song, is an original social history drama produced by the Tudor Artisan Hub artists’ collective in Carrick-on-Suir to celebrate the 2024 Bealtaine Festival.

The play was first staged for the residents of Greenhill and Sonas Nursing Homes in Carrick-on-Suir and also performed twice at Carrick-on-Suir's Sean Healy Library during the Bealtaine Festival at the end of May. There are plans to stage it again in the town later this summer.

“It's Now or Never” is a fictional drama written by Mary McGrath, Joe Whelan, John Corcoran, and Heather Comerford, who are all members of the Writing Changes Lives Writers' Collective.

It’s recent performances were directed by Mary McGrath with support from drama consultant Maria Clancy.

The drama project’s director, producer, editor and sound engineer Linda Fahy of the Tudor Artisan Hub said the play is infused with a rich tapestry of social history and generational anecdotes from the collective memory and experiences of older people attending Carrick-on-Suir Day Care Centre and living at Greenhill and Sonas Nursing Homes in the town.

“They were interviewed earlier this year and generously shared memories of a time when they were young, free, and single in the late 1950s/60s. The interviews were recorded and carefully transcribed,” she explained.

The transcriptions were then handed over to the four writers to craft a drama centred on the story line of four young people enjoying a night out dancing at the Ormond Dance Hall in Carrick in the 1960s.

The play’s two female characters are Tess Comerford, a glamorous but nosey town telephone operator full of notions and everyone else’s business and her sister Pearl, who is bold, fearless and defies authority.

The two male characters are Indian Flynn, a Flash Harry type, who is back from England for the first time since emigrating and John Joe Ryan, the only son of a domineering father who is restless and yearns for change from farming life.

Linda said the finished script was workshopped for both stage and radio. A cast of four renowned local actors – Sheenagh Raggett, Aileen O’Keeffe, Neill Bourke and Enda O’Driscoll - with the support of directors Mary McGrath and Maria Clancy were invited to perform the play both for radio and stage.

After several weeks of rehearsals in the Tudor Artisan Hub, “It’s Now or Never” was first staged in Greenhill and Sonas Nursing Homes where it was watched by the residents, who inspired its creation, and their families.

An audience of 90 people watched the play’s performances in the Library. An audio play was also produced and launched for a global reach.

Linda said ‘It's Now or Never' has received a great response from audiences who have seen the play.
People who watched the play have reported back that it was “wonderfully entertaining” and captured their lives when they were young going to dances back in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Linda said creating and bringing “It's Now or Never” to the stage for the recent Bealtaine Festival was one of the most rewarding projects the Tudor Artisan Hub has worked on over the past decade.

“Everyone has a story to tell, and sometimes the most amazing stories come from those who have been around the longest.

“Older adults in the community have witnessed history and often made history themselves, their lives full of rich and diverse experiences,” she said.

This isn’t the first time the Tudor Artisan Hub’s has spearheaded the creation of new plays using the real life stories of older people as source material.

During the Covid pandemic, the Hub produced three new radio plays inspired by the memories of residents in nursing homes in Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel. Due to pandemic restrictions, the nursing home residents reminiscences were recorded virtually using mobile phones, Zoom and professional recording devices.

“We were delighted on this occasion to be able to meet the storytellers in person, to experience the passion of their storytelling,” said Linda.

“The dramatised stories captivated and engaged audiences of all ages. They provided insight into the young, free and single lives of those in our community who have lived through significant historical events, social and cultural changes, and technological advancement.”

Linda thanked all the nursing home residents and day care centre clients who shared memories of their youth for the project, the writers, actors, director and storytelling consultants Peg Power and Walter Dunphy of Brewery Lane Theatre.

She also paid tribute to the activity co-ordinators and managers in Carrick Day Care Centre, Sonas and Greenhill Nursing Homes, the staff of Seán Healy Memorial Library, her drama project partners actress Paula O’Dwyer and writer Margaret O’Brien of Writing Changes Lives, care home liaison Liz Martin and photographer Noreen Duggan.

Linda pointed out the drama project was supported by Tipperary Arts Office and Creative Ireland programme.

Caption for photo below:  Aileen O’Keeffe, Sheenagh Raggett and Neill Bourke performing in 'It's Now or Never' at Greenhill Nursing Home.