Short story collection 'In the Middle of the Fields' is theme of performances

'In The Middle of The Fields', an eclectic mix of original performances to include music, theatre, readings, spoken word, and song, in an exciting celebration of the extraordinary life and work of Bective writer Mary Lavin, takes place at Dunderry Park on 8th October next.

Curated by playwright Deirdre Kinahan, it features Steve Wickham, Saramai Leech, Michael Brunnock, Catherine Byrne, Sasha Terfous, Wayne Sheehy, and Gerardette Bailey.

The event is produced by Sofft Productions with the support of the DTCAGSM Local Live Performance Programming Scheme and Meath Arts Office.

Deirdre Kinahan says: "Each artist is invited to read Mary Lavin’s’ evocative short story collection ‘In The Middle of The Fields’ and see what strikes them, what inspires them. Mary Lavin once described the short story as "akin to ‘Lightning’s Flash’ because it has the ability to light up an entire landscape in one moment. She was both a brilliantly gifted and quietly subversive storyteller with an unflinching insight into the human soul. Her stories lifted the latch on the screaming passions, conflicting impulses and social barricades that beleaguered Irish life.

There is an electricity to her writing, my hope is that we can tap into some of that extraordinary energy with you ‘In the middle of……the room’. No story is complete without its audience."

They will all come together to sing, play, speak, read or perform their responses in Dunderry Park in front of a live audience.

Performing at this special event will be musician Steve Wickham, known as a member of one of Irish most loved bands ‘The Waterboys’. Steve has recorded with scores of artists including Elvis Costello, U2, and Sinead O Connor. He is a multi-instrumentalist and has composed extensively for film and theatre and plays regularly with his own band in Sligo, NoCrows.

Joining Steve Wickham will be Navan singer-songwriter, Saramai Leech. A member of the art-pop band Pearly (Perlee) her work also spans performance, sound design and composition, music in healthcare, and collaborative work in the areas of theatre and poetry.

Having established his music career when he relocated to New York City a decade ago, Michael Brunnock was delighted to have Talking Heads David Byrne cast him to sing the role of an Irish musician whose voice guides Sean Penn through an emotional journey in This Must Be the Place (2012).

Michael went on to win an Italian Oscar (Di Donatello) for 'If it Falls'' in the best original song category and recently won the Jury Award at the Bologna Film Festival for his music in the film ‘In the Name of Gerry Conlon’

Wayne Sheehy is an intensely active musician, writer, and producer as well as the creator and producer of the TV show 'The Last Pub in Ireland'.

He has worked with U2 frontman Bono, Van Morrison, Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones and Faces, the Animals’ Eric Burdon, Bo Diddley, Bobby Womack, Paul Brady, Paul Young, the Chieftains, Hot House Flowers, and many more.

A producer/composer and multi-instrumentalist, he owns Ocean Studios located on the shores of Bantry Bay in West Cork.

The Meath County Council Arts Officer, Gerardette Bailey, is an award-winning singer-songwriter who has toured and recorded extensively both at home and abroad.

Her voice and music have been used in the film, dance, installation, and animation works, winning many accolades and awards. She is currently working on a collaborative project with an album due for release in 2023.

Actress Catherine Byrne will bring Lavin’s voice into the room performing from the stories that inspired the artist's new works. Catherine trained at The Abbey School of Acting and is an accomplished actress known for The Tudors, Taffin, Nightflyers, Dancing at Lughnasa, and as Dr Judith Dillon in Fair City.

Sasha Terfous is the current Poet Laureate for Wexford and one of the most important figures in Ireland’s spoken word community. With her knowledge, eloquence, and passion, she aims to narrate life’s experiences and encourage her audience to reflect upon themselves and their decisions.

Using her work as a form of activism, her poetry draws attention to the voices that should be heard and issues that need to be addressed.

Meanwhile, Mary Lavin's grandaughter, Alice Ryan, has followed the family tradition in publishing a debut novel with Head of Zeus, 'There's Been a Little Incident', which follows wayward Molly Black, who goes missing, and her eccentric extended family as they set out to find her. Alice is daughter of the late Irish Times literary editor, Caroline Walsh, and James Ryan, also a published novelist.