Jimmy McDonnell recalls some changes over the years

I started my Siamsa career in 1966 as a musician playing a two row button accordion alongside Anne Sheehy from Kilflynn and Marie Kelliher from Tralee.  In the middle of our first season I was moved  to lighting where I assisted Sean Hanafin for a short while before taking over when Sean left for Maynooth to study for the priesthood. Today Fr Sean is our Dean.

Jimmy at the lighting control desk - a few years ago!!!

In those days we had a small Junior 8 Dimmer Board. Today we have a Memory Lighting Console. The Junior 8 was a small 4 dimmer unit I could control eight lights in comparison to the Memory desk today which can control hundreds of lights as well as automated lights. The Memory desk works like any home computer. It can record lighting states and play them back at the push of a button. Martin Whelan, the first General Manager always said “Mac, someday you’ll be able to control the lights from your armchair at home”. Today we can almost do that.

When I look at what we started with in the Technical Department in those early days and look at it now, huge changes have taken place - from simple lighting and sound desks to digital desks and lights. In the early days the lighting crew consisted of Billy Boyd, Jonny Ready, Sean Hanafin and myself. Des Hurley took over from me as the Technical Manager in recent years.      
         

The thatched roof of the cottage

It brings me back to my first night lighting a Siamsa show in a different venue at the Fruits de Mar festival in Kenmare in 1968.  I was a very nervous young fellow and had my reading light that I used to read my lighting cue sheet plugged into the dimmer board. When I went to black out the lights during the show, my reading light also went out, leaving me in the dark.  I couldn’t find the blackout switch to restore light. With Fr Pat Ahern behind me I clawed and groped looking for that switch, eventually finding it.  I learned after that night to always carry a flashlight whenever I’m lighting a show.

Jimmy working on the cottage of Fadó Fadó this week

In preparation for the start of the 40th Anniversary season I am repairing the Fadó Fadó set.
Over the years the structure had disintegrated, so I am replacing the old plywood with new plywood and giving it a finish to resemble a stone wall. There will be a new fire inside the cottage as well as a new bonfire, new pump/well and a stone finished wall as a ground row upstage.