On the Town: No one one would have guessed at the recent fall-out between the Arts Council and the Abbey Theatre at the premiere of The Importance of Being Earnest on Wednesday, as Abbey director Fiach MacConghail and Arts Council chairwoman Olive Braiden posed together for photographs.
Problems, it seemed, had somewhat thawed. "We're the best in the business," said MacConghail confidently. "[ The Arts Council] won't withdraw our funding next month. We will be here for another 100 years."
Braiden seemed to confirm this, saying: "I think everything will be resolved amicably."
Also caught up in the new mood of goodwill towards ensuring the Abbey's survival was Tony Sheehan, adviser to the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue.
"New general procedures need to be put in place as soon as practically possible. We are working towards that," said Sheehan.
One person glad to hear it was actor Elizabeth Moynihan. "It is essential that the Government steps in and saves our National Theatre," she said.
Singer Brian Kennedy seemed sure the Abbey would weather the current storm, saying: "Any publicity for the Abbey is good publicity." Joining Kennedy for a drink before the all-male production of Oscar Wilde's famous play, directed by Conall Morrison, were Celtic Tenor Niall Morris and Eric Keogh.
Film producer Noel Pearson and actors Tom Hickey and Pat Laffan were anticipating a great show and "expecting fun", said Pearson, from Morrison's take on the famous production.
Broadcaster Mike Murphy and his partner Annie the interval they were thoroughly enjoying the show. "I've seen it before," said Murphy. "But only with the genders equally divided."
The Importance of Being Earnest runs at the Abbey Theatre until eptember 24th. Tickets are between €15 and €30, available at 01-8787222
New Guinness book of records
'We believe in one drink, Guinness the almighty. Makers of cans and beer. Of all that is drunk and un-drunk. We believe in one brewer - Arthur, the only son of Guinness," read Tony Corcoran at his book launch from an anonymous e-mail received by the Lord Mayor's office.
Corcoran, a Guinness employee for 38 years, celebrated the publication of his book, The Goodness of Guinness: The Brewery, its People and the City of Dublin in Liberties College. The title is as much a testament to the good work of the company as to the quality of the stout.
Finbar Flood, former managing director of Guinness and chairman of the Labour Court, wrote the foreword and launched the book.
The illustrated book, published by Liberties Press, charts the social history of the St James's Gate brewery and discusses the contribution made by the Guinness company to the welfare of its staff and the wider community.
At the launch of her husband's book, Aviné Corcoran described his undertaking as "an absolute labour of love", which took six years to compile.
Alan Dukes, former Fine Gael leader and the author's brother-in-law, was also among the guests. "My wife Fionnuala was moved that he dedicated the book to their mother," he said.
"My mother's name McEnnis translates to Guinness. So in a sense, I am a Guinness," joked Corcoran. Many of his former Guinness colleagues attended the launch, including Archie Kelly, Martin Doyle, Christy Byrne and Jack Harte, a founding member of the Guinness trade union and member of the Seanad for 20 years.
Desmond Carrick was also there with his wife Deirdre. It was he who first encouraged Corcoran to write when they worked together in experimental breweries in Guinness. Corcoran paid tribute to his old friend as his guests reminisced over a pint or two of the black stuff.
Thrice enticed to the Project
The Tailor and Ansty runs at the Gougane Barra Hotel, Tues-Sun, at 8.30pm until August 28th. Tickets €10, 026-47069
'It was certainly different," said Willie White, artistic director of the Project Arts Centre, of the Waterfront Wasteland/ Medeamaterial/ Landscape with Argonauts production. "Isn't that what the Project is all about?"
The Loose Cannon theatre production is an interpretation of German dramatist Heiner Müller's triptych, and is directed by Jason Byrne.
Fiach MacConghail, director of the Abbey Theatre and former artistic director of the Project, attended the opening night in the Project and was anticipating a great show. "I'm a big fan of Jason Byrne. He'll be working with us soon in the Abbey," said MacConghail before the show.
Patrice Kehoe, Cora Morley and Elizabeth Cuddy all came along to the premiere because Cora's brother, Kevin Morley, was acting in the production. "We've been told absolutely nothing about the play," said Cora, "it's going to be a complete surprise."
DCU students Cliona Casserly, Michelle Hayes and Louise May were in the same boat.
Discussing the play afterwards over a drink were Fair City actors Bryan Murray, Una Crawford O'Brien and James Flynn. "It was wonderful. You could just sit back and let the words flow over you," said Crawford O'Brien.
Flynn, who is also a writer, was in complete agreement, saying: "It was powerful and the acting was fluid. I loved the use of theatre space and that the audience were held in that space and kept completely silent."
The final performance of Waterfront Wasteland. . . is at 8pm tonight in the Project, Dublin
Catherine Foley is on holidays
Tailor keeps the lakeside theatre warm
Art imitating life, or life imitating art? It was hard to decide at Gougane Barra, Co Cork on Wednesday night as a stage adaptation of Eric Cross's The Tailor and Ansty swung into action in a lakeside marquee.
On stage, Ronan Wilmot as the eponymous tailor whose biography has been banned by the censorship board for its ribald, irreverent view of life in rural Ireland in the 1940s. Outside the tent, in Gougane's tiny cemetery, was the grave of Tadhg Ó Buachalla - the man who inspired Cross's book - and his wife Anastasia; in the audience were some of the real-life tailor's grandchildren, including Caitriona, Margaret and Pauline Riordan and Sheila O'Sullivan. No, said the latter, she didn't remember her famous grandfather.
"Well, my father wasn't even married when my grandad died; and then as children, we didn't really take much of an interest in the whole thing. Now when I do have the interest, of course, I've nobody left to ask about it. It's great to see the play put on here in Gougane. I just wish it had been done while my father was alive - he would have loved it."
The current revival, which will play at Gougane Barra for four and a half weeks, is Wilmot's brainchild. It was he who toured the play in the back of a bread van around Ireland in the late 1970s, with Eamon Kelly in the role of the tailor.
"It has been burning in my brain ever since," said Wilmot, "and with The New Theatre in Dublin closed for refurbishment, the time has finally come for me to give it a go." He enlisted the help of Neil and Kate Lucey of the Gougane Barra Hotel, which is co-presenting the show, and assembled a production team including director Nuala Hayes and actor Yvonne Ussher as the tailor's long-suffering Ansty. And hey presto: theatre by the lake.
Among those who packed the marquee for the opening were the Mayor of Co Cork, Michael Creed, broadcaster John Creedon and Peadar O'Riada, son of the composer Sean. Afterwards, as people streamed out into the warm night, with the encircling mountains reflected in the lake, the only question was - why has no one ever staged theatre in this spectacular setting before?
... Arminta Wallace