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ireland, shed a tear? - Traveller Wagon Wheel Theater Company

ireland shed a tear?

The performance of the Traveller Wagon Wheel Company shows how the majority society, and the Irish state treats the travellers, through the story of an Irish fire in Ireland in 2015. At the same time, the play commemorates the ten victims of the tragedy in Carrickmines: five children and five adults lost their lives at the site, including a pregnant mother. The tragedy would have been preventable. This raises several questions concerning the situation of the Travellers and the contradictory conduct of the State. Michael Collins, with his 16-year-old son, Johnny, uses songs and poems to tell the story of the inhuman conditions Travellers had to live in after the fire.

'I’m a freeborn man of the travelling people

Got no fixed abode with nomads I am numbered

Country lanes and byways were always my ways

I never fancied being lumbered

In the open ground we could stop and linger

For a month or two for time was not our master

Then we’d pack our load and be on the road

Nice and easy no need to go faster.'

Creators

writer:	Michael Collins
director:	Anthony Fox
cast:	Michael Collins, Johnny Collins, Catherine Collins
by:	Traveller Wagon Wheel Theater Company

trailer

Focus scene

Reviews

‘The Irish family troupe Traveller Wagon Wheel Company's production, Ireland Shed a Tear? (dir: Anthony Fox), deals with real events: the plight of Travellers forced by the Irish authorities into caravan colonies. It also commemorates a tragedy in 2015, when a fire broke out in one of these camps, killing ten people, including five children. The play was written by Michael Collins, who is also acting alongside his son. The prose texts are interspersed with songs and poems about the lives of Travellers (not exclusively Roma) and the official and public attitudes towards them. Ireland Shed a Tear? is the most concrete and political performance in the festival programme, with elements of documentary theatre.’

SZINHAZ.NET

‘Ireland Shed a Tear? involve at least two actors, but it can be considered practically monodramas. It is important that it is staged as an adaptation of real events. It is not a verbatim performance in the strict sense of the word, but it certainly aims for documentary fidelity.’

SZINHAZ.NET

Materials to read

excerpts from the play

In case you would like to request availability to the full play and/or the full video about the performance, write an email to info@romaheroes.org and describe the aim of your request!

IN ENGLISH