Joe Steve Neachtain brought the house down in Galway with an audacious stage debut that must rank as one of the most accessible and entertaining plays written in Irish in recent years. Set in present day Connemara, Nor Mhaith linn do Thrioblid deals with a specific locale but with universal emotions. The story revolves around the ramblings of an old school master (Peadar Lamb) on the eve of his wife's funeral. He's lonely to the point of desperation, but not very popular with the neighbours. One by one, his children return home for the funeral and all of them clearly have their own skeletons in the cupboard. His son, Eamonn (Josie Cualin), has left the priesthood and is married in Africa with two children, though the master believes that he is about to become a Bishop. His eldest daughter, Mona (Mirn Nic Con Iomaire), is saddled with an alcoholic husband, while the brassy eurocrat Lisa (Eithne Nic Enr) is a slave to her yuppie lifestyle. The plot is intricately constructed with the family's convoy of woes dovetailing nicely with the smutty innuendo of the neighbours. It is clear that the author, who spent many years writing the script for the radio soap-opera Baile an Droichid, has a sensitive ear for dialogue. This is most evident in his capacity to twist the knife, and the master's deafness affords many opportunities for snide asides which Samas (Diarmuid Mac an Adhastair) delivers with much aplomb. Maidhc P. Conaola directs with scrupulous clarity and gets the most out of an harmoniously balanced cast. Particularly impressive on the night were Peadar Lamb and Eithne Nic Enr - a pair of actors who can obviously strike sparks off each other.

The cast received a standing ovation at the end of the show, an all too regular occurrence in Galway theatres. In this case though it was well deserved. An excellent evening's entertainment.