PROLIFIC Limerick playwright, Mike Finn brings his work to streets and historic locations in his newest play, The Rising of the Women which opens on Tuesday, May 13. The GAFF, in collaboration with Honest Arts are joint producers of this new work which takes place in locations on and near to Nicholas St. in the heart of St. Mary’s community in Limerick City. This play, which received its first public airing through a rehearsed reading in 2024, is an hilarious re-telling of the story of legendary film director, John Ford’s visit to Limerick in 1956 to shoot scenes for his film, The Rising of the Moon.
This being his first film since the success of The Quiet Man, the new film was eagerly anticipated and the great man’s arrival in the Treaty City was the cause of great excitement. Amid the glamour and the clamour, two hundred women were recruited from the labour exchange as extras. Their job was to portray worried citizens, anxiously reciting the rosary outside King John’s Castle while inside, a condemned rebel awaited execution at the hands of the Black and Tans.
Midway through the first day’s shooting, the extras discovered that the buns provided for lunch were stale and that their pay was to be six shillings and eight pence rather than the promised ten bob.
There was nothing for it but to strike! While they were at it, they also demanded porter to wash down the buns! Having fearlessly confronted the great John Ford, the film’s producer Lord Killanin and its technical consultant, Ernie O’Malley, the women demanded their issues were to be addressed.
Audiences can enjoy this intriguing story, presented in promenade theatre style, following the footsteps of John Ford, in the precise Limerick locations where the 1950s film was shot.
The meeting point is Katy Daly’s pub, opposite King John’s Castle with ensuing scenes taking place in street locations and inside the nearby St. Munchin’s (former Church of Ireland) Church. Joan Sheehy directs an exceptional cast of Limerick performers for this unique production including Carrie Barrett, Myles Breen, James Corr, Aidan Crowe, Ashleigh Dorrell, Carmel Duggan, Sheila Fitzpatrick, Padhraic Hastings, Georgina Miller, Megan O’Halloran, Elaine O’Dwyer, Gene Rooney and soprano, Eve Stafford.
The Rising of the Women takes place at 6pm and 8pm on May 13, 14, 15 and 16 2025 with limited audience capacity. Booking is now open on Eventbrite.
