Rehearsal Photos - Day 7

Stills from the cut and thrust of rehearsal for The Crow’s Old Gold…

Gaining momentum now…

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally
dir. Ciarán MacArtain
Lehanmore Theatre, Beara, Co. Cork
May 31st - 8pm
Tickets €18 - https://tcog.brownpapertickets.com/

Supported by Cork County Council Arts Office & The Creative Places: Islands Scheme.

Creative Team Introductions - Ciarán MacArtain - Director / Creative Producer / LX Design

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally

Continuing our Creative Team Introductions on this sunny Sunday, next up we have Strive Theatre Artistic Director, Ciarán MacArtain…

Ciarán MacArtain - Director / Creative Producer / LX Design

Ciarán is a theatre artist, producer and poet from Glasheen in Cork City. He is a graduate of University College of Cork Drama & Theatre Studies & English International. As part of his studies he trained at Pace University in New York and Concordia University, Montreal, QC. He is Artistic Director of Strive Theatre, creator and manager of The Crossover, a member of The Choke Collective and Co-Director of Ó Bheal go Béal. Strive Theatre have produced 9 original plays and embarked on 3 national and an international tour under his artistic direction. See www.strivetheatre.ie

Previous directing credits for Strive Theatre include STYX (2022, devised by ensemble) , Wishful Thinking (2019, Shaunna Lee Lynch, Dublin Fringe Fesitval), In Light of Salt Rings They Drew (2015/2016, Sadhbh Moriarty, National Tour) and The Rooftops of Paris ( 2013/2014, Ciarán MacArtain, Premiere & Edinburgh Fringe). He has been mentored by Judy Hegarty Lovett of Gare St. Lazare Ireland and Erma Duricko, of Blue Roses Theatre Co. New York. He recently completed the European Diploma in Cultural Project Management.

2025 sees him working as part of the devising team for Goll, a multi-disciplinary theatrical performance developed in collaboration with MacBóchra, due to premiere in November 2025 in The Briery Gap, Macroom. His practice as a theatre artist encompasses directing, lighting design, acting, writing, producing and facilitation.

He is delighted to be working with this great team on The Crow’s Old Gold and is really enjoying the time down Whest!

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally
dir. Ciarán MacArtain
Lehanmore Theatre, Beara, Co. Cork
May 31st - 8pm
Tickets €18 - https://tcog.brownpapertickets.com/

Supported by Cork County Council Arts Office & The Creative Places: Islands Scheme.

Original Poster Artwork - Joanne Hackett

We would like to introduce to you the wonderful work of Joanne Hackett…

Joanne is a part of the Creative Team for Goll and is a long time friend of Strive Theatre. She has conceptualised and painted our poster image and we owe her a huge debt of gratitude… We are absolutely thrilled with it!

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally
dir. Ciarán MacArtain
Lehanmore Theatre, Beara, Co. Cork
May 31st - 8pm
Tickets €18 - https://tcog.brownpapertickets.com/

Supported by Cork County Council Arts Office & The Creative Places: Islands Scheme.

Cast Introductions - Judith Ryan - Grainne / Maree

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally

We’re delighted to bring to you more news of our wonderful cast…

Next up, we are excited to be working with the versatile, powerful Judith Ryan.

Judith Ryan - Gráinne / Maree

Judith has performed on Stage, Radio & Screen. Previous roles include Hartleby in adaptations to Irish of Tim Crouch’s piece Clodagh in JERAMÍ , HARTLEBY agus OOGLEMÓR for Fíbín Theatre Co. Clodagh in MICRODISNEY, solo piece by Neil Flynn and winner of The Belltable Connect Award. Annabelle in ANNABELLE STAR (The Ark), Rosalind in AS YOU LIKE IT (Druid), Helen (c) in THE CRIPPLE OF INISMAAN (National Theatre) Bean on Lios in DUN NA MBAN TRI THINE, barmaid in ASYLUM, ASYLUM (The Peacock). Primrose in THE GINGERBREAD MIX-UP (Andrews Lane). Maura in A SNAIL CALLED SAM, Missus Turner in THE SOUND AND THE SPERM both for RTE RADIO. Tv & Film credits include Karen in DAMAGE produced by RTE. Martha Brennan in PURE MULE – Eden Films/RTE. Shirley in Roddy Doyle’s THE FAMILY- BBC/RTE.

Judith is delighted to be part of The Crow’s Old Gold.

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally
dir. Ciarán MacArtain
Lehanmore Theatre, Beara, Co. Cork
May 31st - 8pm
Tickets €18 - https://tcog.brownpapertickets.com/

Supported by Cork County Council Arts Office & The Creative Places: Islands Scheme.

Creative Team Introductions - Carina McNally - Playwright

The Crow’s Old Gold

We are delighted to introduce the brains of this operation, the multi-talented Carina McNally. We were thrilled when Carina reached out to us to finalise the development of this powerful piece of work and to produce its premiere…

Playwright - Carina McNally

Alongside her job at publishing house Mercier Press, Carina is a freelance writer based in the Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork.  Once a freelance journalist, creative writing pursuits included writing for children’s radio programme Fiction 15 (RTE Radio 1) and panto for Lehanmore Panto Group. Her short stories have appeared in a range of publications including Cyphers Literary Magazine and Woman’s Way. Her novel Mithim, set in Wexford during Cromwellian times, is due for release by Mercier Press in Feb '26. The Crow’s Old Gold is her first play.

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally
dir. Ciarán MacArtain
Lehanmore Theatre, Beara, Co. Cork
May 31st - 8pm

Supported by Cork County Council Arts Office & The Creative Places: Islands Scheme.

The Crow’s Old Gold Playwright - Carina McNally

***Project Announcement*** - The Crow's Old Gold by Carina McNally

We are feeling grateful in the spring sun today! Delighted to be able to announce that we have a new project about to premiere…

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally will premiere in Lehanmore Theatre, Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork on May 31st. 

Supported by Cork County Council Arts Office & Creative Places: Islands Scheme.


We were delighted to receive the 4th draft of this script as a submission early in the year having been developed with mentorship from Eadaíon O’Donoghue. Having supported this development process for the past number of months, we are delighted now to be heading to Allihies to produce  the 5th draft of this exciting new work by Carina McNally.

***
The Crow’s Old Gold 

A windswept rock, Crow Island, near Dursey, holds a legend of gold left behind by a magical blacksmith The Gaibleann Gabha and his Cow of Plenty. Is it myth? Or is this rock home to some immortal force, floating there in eternal restlessness? Only Gavin knows the answer, but when he shares it with Gráinne, the practical and sharp-tongued local shop assistant, her skepticism of old superstitions leaves him questioning his own truth. On the other hand, Maree, a woman from Cavan, has journeyed to the Beara Peninsula with a deep sense of purpose—to make an offering to the legendary forge before facing a life-altering surgery. Immersing herself in the ancient lore of the Dé Danann, seeking meaning and strength, she awaits a sign from the old gods. Gavin, caught between both of their worlds, is perplexed. Can the legend of the Gaibleann Gabha ever be revived again?

The Crow’s Old Gold is a story where past and present collide in a myth, superstition, and personal reckoning while delving into the folklore of the Gaibhleann Gabha, the Hag of Beara, and the ancient spirits that inhabit the rugged coast of Dursey, and rocks Bull, Cow and Calf. Through humour, wit and moments of haunting beauty, The Crow’s Old Gold explores the enduring power of myth and the ways in which the past continues to shape the present.

***


Keep an eye out for creative team announcements coming soon…

The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally

dir. Ciarán MacArtain

Lehanmore Theatre, Lehanmore, Beara, Co. Cork - Sat. May 31st @ 8.00pm

Links to follow…