‘From the Shannon to the Somme’ comes to King House, Boyle
As part of the 2013 Roscommon Gathering and the ‘Return of the Rossies’ Festival, an original stage play by award-winning author Neil Richardson will be performed in the Grand Salon of King House in Boyle, County Roscommon on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May 2013. Called From the Shannon to the Somme, the play is about the true story of Athlone-man Michael Curley who helped to set up the first ever nationalist Volunteer movement in twentieth century Ireland – the Midlands Volunteer Force – before going on to fight in the trenches of the First World War. The play was previously performed to packed houses in the Athlone Little Theatre in 2010, and the story of Michael Curley is taken from Neil’s award winning history book – A Coward If I Return, A Hero If I Fall: Stories of Irishmen in WWI – which bet other books by such well-known figures as Ryan Tubridy, Shane Ross TD, journalists Fintan O’Toole and Matt Cooper, and former RTÉ newsreader Michael Murphy to win the Argosy Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year award at the 2010 Irish Book Awards.
As Neil says, ‘King House in Boyle is an extremely significant place to put the play on, as when Michael Curley fought in the First World War, he served in the Connaught Rangers, a regiment that had its headquarters in King House at the time’. 2013 is also the centenary of the founding of the Midlands Volunteer Force. As Neil explains, ‘a lot of Irish people would know about the founding of the Irish Volunteers in the Rotunda in Dublin in November 1913, but what most people are unaware of is that a few months earlier, the Midlands Volunteer Force had been set up in the Irish midlands and were already marching and drilling and training by the time the Irish Volunteers came into existence. They later became a part the larger movement and so were forgotten by history, but they were there first, and Michael Curley was one of their founding members’. But, as Neil continues, ‘I don't want to scare anyone away who thinks that the play might be a dry history lesson. I've included plenty of comedy, and the play is character driven. It's primarily about the men and their personalities. For example, Curley’s best friend throughout the play, Jack West - based on another real-life soldier - is a mischievous joker who’s always getting Curley into trouble. The two then provide support for each other when they go to war’.
From the Shannon to the Somme will be performed on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May 2013 in the Grand Salon of King House, Boyle, County Roscommon. It stars Dave Fleming, Paul Fleming, Paddy-Jo Malpas, and Paul Fox, and is directed by Caroline Barry. 
Tickets are €15 and booking is essential. Anyone who is interested can book by calling the box office at 071 966 3046. Doors open at 7.30pm and the show starts at 8.00pm. The cast and crew would also like to acknowledge the support of the Roscommon Gathering Fund, Roscommon County Council, and the Connaught Rangers Association.
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‘From the Shannon to the Somme’
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