Critically acclaimed play inspired by Carrickmines tragedy comes to Kells

Meath writer, actor and Traveller rights activist , Michael Collins will take to the stage in Kells on Friday night with own play ‘The Night a Nation Shed a Tear/ Ireland Shed a Tear”

The critically acclaimed play, which enjoyed a recent standing ovation in Budapest, also features Michael's son, Johnny and was inspired by the aftermath of the tragic events of October 2015 when 10 people died in a fire at a halting site in Carrickmines.

Friday night's performance is hosted by Meath Travellers Workshop, in the St Vincent De Paul Theatre, Kells at 7pm.

'The night a nation shed a tear/ Ireland shed a tear' explores the issues surrounding the accommodation needs of Traveller families and the living conditions on halting sites.

"The reason I wrote this is that I went to the funerals of both families in Bray and Wexford. While the sympathy for the family from both the Traveller and settled communities was very genuine, especially in Bray where Travellers and the settled community stood shoulder to shoulder, things changed in the aftermath.

"Audits were carried out on Traveller accommodation sites, but instead of providing improved facilities people were evicted because the sites weren't fit for habitation."

He also recalls the opposition of Carrickmines residents to plans for alternative accommodation go the affected families.

Michael recalls armed Gardai in Wexford for the funeral, gardai filming the proceedings and the source of all businesses. There was such disrespect."

Michael says that 'The Night a Nation Shed a Tear/ Ireland Shed a Tear" isn't about beating the audience over the head with his message, but the story is told through song, poetry and drama in an entertaining way, In the play, Michael and Johnny tell the story of a family who fear eviction in the wake of the Carrickmines fire that claimed the lives of ten members of the Connors and Gilbert families, including a pregnant mother.

Michael's character, Tom, sees the introduction of a national fire safety audit of Traveller accommodation as an opportunity for a better life for his family only to find he’s getting evicted because the site is not fit for habitation.

The play was the first written by a Traveller to be staged as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2017 and the crew and cast are all Travellers."

Admission is free on Friday night but must be prebooked at laura.travellerheritage@gmail.com or 0469027801.