Where History Comes Alive on Stage

Mná na hÉireann will present Irish traditional dance through the addition of contemporary flair and a non-traditional theatre setting, while telling the compelling story of these wonderful women, long excluded from the existing narrative, through exciting and creative choreography, supported by evocative music composition, narration, poetry and song.

With this holistic vision, we will bring our audiences on a journey into the lives of these women and the history of so many of the Irish Diaspora worldwide while also appealing to those families here in Ireland who continue to recount the stories of their grandmothers, grandaunts and female family relatives.

Together with an exceptional inter-disciplinary creative team of freelance artists, with proven track records, we have created a performance of scale. For the 2019 showcase, movement director Ella Clarke worked with Michael Patrick Gallagher and Carol to explore the dance choreography before adding the movement in each scene. Our theatrical director and dramaturg Declan Gorman wrote and adapted spoken word texts and narration responding to the choreography and the stunning new score by composer Áine McGeeney.

In July 2019, during workshop rehearsals, the dance, movement music and storytelling came together in a collaborative and organic process. The narration, poetry and music elements effectively supported the dance and movement through each scene. And now with new Costume, Lighting and Visual set design for the 2025 production, Mná will realise its full unique and ambitious potential, ensuring a quality and standard production.