Once Upon a Time, in a town in North Kerry, a group of people got together to preserve the music, song and dance of their native place. Led by a young curate from Moyvane, Fr Pat Ahern, the group went from strength to strength and in 1974, Siamsa Tíre was officially founded with the opening of Teach Siamsa in Finuge. That was 40 years ago and this blog celebrates all that happened over those 40 years and where we are now…
With thousands of performances, tours and celebrations over the course of Siamsa’s history, we are lucky to have an abundance of recorded moments in our archives. From the very early years, up to the present day, our anniversary exhibition is a delightful treasure trove of memories. There are over 70 photographs on display as well as video footage, audio recording and a couple of notable pieces of memorabilia - all testament to the legacy of Siamsa Tíre.
Jimmy McDonnell with Siamsa Tíre General Manager Catriona Fallon
Shows that we have staged, places we have toured to, and the buildings that have been home to the company over the years, all feature in our exhibition, It’s A Great Auld Siamsa…. Most important are the people that have been part of this wonderful journey over the past 40 years.
The exhibition - It's A Great Auld Siamsa...
We hope you make a trip to the gallery and experience this unique collection that is central to our celebrations this summer. The exhibition runs until September 20th – put it in your diary!
Sunday last (May 11th) marked the first event in our year-long celebration of our 40th anniversary. A gathering of founder, former and current cast members along with staff, members of the Board (past and present) and friends enjoyed a reception in the foyer before the official unveiling of the commemorative plaque. And there were plenty of stories to be heard from across the generations!
Fr. Pat Ahern
It was a very special day, and for none more so than Fr. Pat Ahern. A beautiful plaque was inset in the wall at the entrance to the theatre and unveiled by the man responsible for founding the National Folk Theatre way back in 1974. An RTÉ production for the series RADHARC, entitled Bímís ag Rince, was also screened on the day. The film, dating from 1974, traced the development of the National Folk theatre and documented the building of Teach Siamsa in Finuge – the first of the training centres where the passing on of traditions in the unique Siamsa style to the next generation began. One of the highlights of the evening was a surprise performance by founder and former members. As the credits rolled for Bímís ag Rince, and the screen rose, a full stage of performers was revealed who then treated us to a wonderful 20 minutes of music, song and dance. It was a Great Auld Siamsa!
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