Thurles Musical Society to commence rehearsals in January for new show

It might seem like a rather strange subject upon which to base a hit musical, but the strike at the Ford factory in Dagenham, London in 1968 is the central storyline of Thurles Musical Society's 2020 production, rehearsals for which begin on January 7, once the festive season has come to a close.

If the topic seems rather dull and mundane, the musical certainly is not. The lyrics are sharp and biting, the music is fantastic and if it's a good laugh you want, then this is the place to be. This is an hilarious show, despite the human tragedy which emerges during the course of the strike.

The Ford sewing machinists strike of 1968 was a landmark labour-relations dispute in the United Kingdom. It was a trigger cause of the passing of the Equal Pay Act 1970.

The strike, led by Rose Boland, Eileen Pullen, Vera Sime, Gwen Davis, and Sheila Douglass, began on June 7 1968, when women sewing machinists at Ford Motor Company Limited's Dagenham plant in London walked out, followed later by the machinists at Ford's Halewood Body & Assembly plant. The women made car seat covers and as stock ran out the strike eventually resulted in a halt to all car production.

Following the eventual intervention of Barbara Castle, the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity in Harold Wilson's government, the strike ended three weeks after it began, as a result of a deal that immediately increased their rate of pay to 8% below that of men, rising to the full category B rate the following year. A court of inquiry (under the Industrial Courts Act 1919) was also set up to consider their regrading, although this failed to find in their favour. The women were only regraded into Category C following a further six-week strike in 1984.

Inspired by the example of the machinists, women trades unionists founded the National Joint Action Campaign Committee for Women's Equal Rights , which held an "equal pay demonstration" attended by 1,000 people in Trafalgar Square on May 18 1969.
The movement ultimately resulted in the passing of the Equal Pay Act 1970, which came into force in 1975 and which did, for the first time, aim to prohibit inequality of treatment between men and women in Britain in terms of pay and conditions of employment.

Auditions have already taken place for Thurles Musical Society's show with Director Oliver Hurley thrilled with the talent at his disposal. And, together with Musical Director Mary Rose McNally, Dance Captain Siobhan King, and Stage Manager Anthony Kirby, plans are beginning to fall into place for the commencement of work for this big big show.
Thurles Musical Society is extending an open invitation to all to come along and join in the chorus, or help out backstage, front of house, or any of the many aspects of show production. There really is something for everyone to do, but of course, for now, on-stage participants are being sought to sink the teeth into the musical numbers and be ready for opening night on Tuesday March 31 - a charity night for the Cathedral of the Assumption re-roofing project.

The cast is:
Rita - Fiona Delaney
Eddie - John Hayes
Barbara Castle-
Linda Ryan
Beryl - Mary Callanan
Connie - Nina Scott
Clare - Denise King
Sandra - Therese Murphy
Cass - Siobhan King
Lisa Hopkins-
Deirdre Hayes
Harold Wilson
- Cathal O'Donoghue
Monty - Barry Derby
Mr. Tooley - Keith Greene
Cortina Man
-Damian Sweeney
Ron Macer -
Gerard O'Hagen
Mr. Hubble - Geraint Fyler
Sid - Peter Donnelly
Bill - Peter Stockborough
Barry - Damian Sweeney
Graham - Rory Fyler
Sharon - Chloe Cahill
See you on January 7 then.