Executive Director / Co-Director @abbeytheatre National Theatre of Ireland. All views my own...I think, although I am open to correction. Onwards
Dublin
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The arts are going to play a huge part in the restoration of communities and societies over the next years. Arts events facilitate the safe gathering of people in shared explorations of what it is to be human and what it is to dream, aspire and challenge. They create empathy 1/
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Don’t leave Twitter.
Flood it with your interests.
Art, History, Cinema, TV, Politics, Theatre, Literature, Gaming, Holidays, Nostalgia, Memes. There are many here happy to engage civilly, to listen and debate. Don’t leave this space to bile, hate & nihilism. Pass it on.
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Backbone of Irish boxing came to Ireland over 20 years ago. What an impact. Thank you Zaur Antia. Every boxing medal guided by your brilliance. From war torn Georgia his family set up home here, and aren’t we glad they did. So thrilled for him tonight #kellieharrington #Olympics
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BREAKING NEWS: A central figure in the notorious Children of Lir gang was apprehended in Dublin today.
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There is no version of The Foggy Dew that comes near that of Sinéad O’Connor and @thechieftains
Steeped in the sound of our soul
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No matter what happens tonight @rhasidatadeleke has achieved what no other Irish female Athlete has done in getting to an Olympic sprint final.
And at only 21. She has won already. The rest is gravy. Push on now Rhasidat. The future is yours. May you flow like the wind tonight.
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My favourite photo of Pope Francis.
Cruising down through Ballymun in a regular car, window down, waving to the folks waiting to say hello.
May he rest in peace.
#popefrancis
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Spread the ❤️ for @rhasidatadeleke time to call out the racist crap
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I am deeply honoured & excited to become Executive Director of @AbbeyTheatre and to get to work in partnership as co-director with the extraordinarily talented Caitriona McLaughlin @TraBreaga as Artistic Director and the great Abbey team.
Onwards
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Here it is
For those who haven't seen it yet
A love letter to the Irish Language and Dublin
Please watch, share, tag you friends
SIÚCRA by @NicLiamo
directed by @Cathalmacan
commissioned by @axisBallymun
supported by @ForasnaGaeilge
for Scríobh
piped.video/watch?v=Mp8MvBgb…
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Heartbroken to hear Shane McGowan has passed.
I really hope he and Sinead will be serenading the stars tonight. Rest in love and thanks for all you have left.
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Flying to Denmark thirteen days ago Andy Irvine’s, guitar-bouzouki & a mandola, probably valued in excess of €16,000, failed to arrive & have not been traced yet. @DublinAirport is there a way of him finding out where they are? He isn’t on Twitter so posting with permission.
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The power of the poet filled the streets this morning.
Dublin I love you.
Go easy Shane McGowan
Go raibh maith agat as do aisling
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End of an era. The Flowing Tide finishes serving from closing tonight. Memories, nights, stories, dreams, arguments, plans, craic. The @AbbeyTheatre & the Tide. The nation’s stage & its one (🤣) for the road. Artists, staff, punters. Here comes everyone. Slán agus go raibh míle.
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Way to mark Sinéad’s passing, for those in position to do so, would be to sort out redress scheme, put proper mental health services in place (especially for young people), properly support most vulnerable in our society, & for us all to be more kind. No party politics meant here
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Winner of gold for Ireland in 100m and 200m at European U-20 finals
Congrats @rhasidatadeleke
We’re so proud of your achievements
💪
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Happy Birthday @PresidentIRL
Michael D Higgins
President, Poet, Leader.
A man with a deep understanding
of the arts and its role in society.
Photo taken on Aran Islands at the
Abbey Theatre production of
Laethanta Shona in July 2021.
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Imagine you’re Lana Del Ray and one of the greatest rock and roll stars sing one of your songs. Patti Smith accompanied by her son dedicates it to his father and her husband who passed away 30 years ago. This was beautiful.
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Happy 80th birthday Pat Ingoldsby
Filidh mo chroí agus muintir na hÉireann. Cupla focal. 1/
“At night time
when they all have gone
The book of Kells
cries and cries and cries
because it is a book
and nobody
is allowed
to touch it”
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Anyone that suffers such childhood trauma & manages to not only stay in the world but reach out & give hope, love & succour to literally thousands of people, making all our world a better place has not ‘blown it’. They are the best of us. A gift to us. Christy Dignam RIP & thanks
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42 years ago tonight 48 people went to a disco and never came home.
Thoughts are with their family, their friends and the survivors of The Stardust Fire
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As a father of a Leaving Cert 2022 student I see no reason why it should dealt with any differently than last year. These students and teachers have had 5th year mostly upside down & now a very unclear 6th year. Anything else would be grossly unfair #LeavingCert2022 #COVID19
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Remembering the 48 people who went out 43 years ago tonight to the Stardust and never came home. Thoughts with their families and friends always. ❤️
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Ireland’s cultural links with Italy were solidified in the late 80’s into the early 90’d when our mammies combined Lasagne with Chips to create Lasagne and Chips
#Forza #ForzaItalia #ita #italy
#ItsGoingToRome
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Today marks 6 years since the Carrickmines Tragedy
RIP Tara Gilbert (27) & her partner Jimmy Lynch (25), their daughters Jodie (9) & Kelsey (4); Willy Lynch (39); Thomas Connors & his wife Sylvia (both 27) & their children Jimmy (5), Christy (2) and Mary (five months). Gra ❤️
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How do so many of us feel about Manchester City, Pep Guardiola and their Trophy Cabinet? Listen up…..
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Worth noting that it’s mainly folk from Irish Arts sector working voluntarily that have raised over €3m so far for organizations that haven’t got enough state funding to provide their services to our most vulnerable #RteComicRelief #comicrelief #rtedoescomicrelief #savethearts
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It has saddened us all greatly @abbeytheatre that an artist invited to Ireland by us, particularly an artist coming from a war zone for a brief moment of respite should have experienced this.
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Thanks so much. We've had over 2000 views of @colinodonoghue1 #TheAxisChats & the series has now had over 9000 watchs & growing. We are delighted folk are enjoying it so much. All interviews are available on our website & they also make great podcasts.
axisballymun.ie/axis-online/…
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I am thinking of Sinéad
I am away
I can’t be in my hometown tomorrow to stand in thanks
as she makes her way
from the harbour to the head.
In her life she carried so many narratives for us.
Now we must
carry her in our hearts and minds.
Her art like fire in our souls
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Schoolchildren assaulted & it being filmed simply because of who they are. Vulnerable people's tents burnt. Protests & suspicious fires at centres to accommodate those in need of shelter. Families living on streets & in hotels. Fear & anger weaponised as hate.
Was it for this
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Today on Nollaig na mBan I would like to particularly celebrate the work and love of @Msoe_Dublin on the streets of our capital. They are the best of us. We owe them such a debt of gratitude. #NollaignamBan
Tonight was the first soup run of 2024 and it was extremely chaotic. At the beginning, we found it difficult to maintain order due to people pushing to get to the top of the queue. Just listening to the stories of people and their needs, it's hard to believe that we're in 2024 and it's still as bad as ever, if not getting worse.
We continue to hope and pray that we can keep helping where we can, try to alleviate people's problems as much as possible and lend them a listening ear. We hope that we can help in someway, if possible.
Tonight we saw a lot of pregnant women, old people, children and migrants in the queue. It was a mixture of everybody - just human beings looking for help in every way possible. We had people come in who contacted us prior to the soup run, to collect hampers. They were desperate for food to bring back because the cost of living has gotten so high. We don't know what the future holds, but we do know that we cannot alleviate these issues without your support.
When we help people and notice the sheer appreciation in their face, it really makes it worthwhile. Whether we provide someone with a voucher, food, hamper, sleeping bag, hygiene pack pop up tent or ground map - everybody who receives an item is so grateful for what they have received.
Thank you once again to our sponsors, tonight we had 480 meals and all the meals were gone in under two hours. Everything was completely cleared out. We were inundated with treats from all the families who donated to our office. It was wonderful to hand out treats. All the tins of biscuits and the mince tart boxes that were donated to us, we opened them up for people to have as a treat with a cup of tea or coffee. Someone mentioned to us tonight that it was lovely to have a cup of tea and a mince tart. Again thank you so much for your support. We received fruit, yogurt, treats, vegetables, cheeses, sandwiches, and good substantial meals.
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Remembering Shane McGowan today on the anniversary of his passing. So missed still. Memory hear from the day of his funeral on the streets of Dublin. Sending love to @Victoriamary @EtainsDream @spiderstacy and all @poguesofficial
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Tá mé ag foghlaim conas Gaeilge a labhairt agus tá laethanta áirithe níos fearr ná a chéile.
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A good friend shared this on FB. I think it is beautiful and says it all really #savethearts @Campaign4Arts
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Insane that this album is 38 years old today. Happy Birthday to all who sailed in her. @poguesofficial @rockyoriordan @spiderstacy
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Patti Smith dug into the soul of Smells Like Teen Spirit @Nirvana to mark 30 years since Kurt Cobain’s passing.
The raw energy of this performance in the room was unbelievable.
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#axismemories I had the privilege to do the sound design for this @axisBallymun Dermot Bolger's Walking the Road directed by @rayrightnow, designed by Marie Tierney with the amazing Kelly Hickey and @colinodonoghue1 #theatre #ballymun
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Congrats Efrem Gidey the first Irish athlete to ever win the European 10,000m Cup @irishathletics @EuroAthletics
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I believe arts & culture are fundamental to society. Agree? Please sign & RT my.uplift.ie/petitions/resto… #ArtsDeptNow
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This feeling of loss grows the more I realise it’s true. Sinéad is gone.
We will never be able to hear or see her live again. Feel like I’ve lost one close to me all my life. In some ways she was. That was her gift. Her art touched a space deep within us all. #SineadOConnor
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This Sunday we have an extra special #TheAxisChats @colinodonoghue1 star of @OnceABC & upcoming #TheRightStuff @disneyplus Colin worked with us at @axisBallymun in 2007 on Dermot Bolger's Walking The Road. Great chat with great guy. Available 7pm Sunday on axisballymun.ie/axis-online/…
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In the hope that he might somehow be shown this might we all say
#WeLoveYouChristy to our Angel of the Northside, Christy Dignam 💪❤️
Please RT
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David Gillick is absolutely brilliant interviewer particularly post race. His interview with Sarah Lavin this morning and Rhasidat Adeleke just now were fantastic. Professional, empathetic, perfectly pitched and knowledgeable. Great work @DavidGillick #Olympics
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This is. The beauty of Christy Dignam. What a voice. What a performance. Solo from 1988. Lump in my throat on the bus. Thanks @liffeystynx for posting this. #christydignam
piped.video/I3_t_Jkw_vg
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Dublin's heart and charm is cluttered, cluttered with atmosphere not fecking 'quarters' with their chrome and their Costas. Dublin is a good second-hand shop, a Freebird records, Dandelion market, Kehoes, Mulligans, Marks Bros, where folk gather, share and hunt for diamonds....
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Such sad news.
The piper of our dreams imithe
His sound cast a spell for the ages.
His influence on the music and soul of this island immeasurable.
A chieftain indeed.
Sound eternal.
His tunes will echo through this land.
Codladh Sámh agus go raibh maith agat.
RIP #paddymoloney
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Amanda Coogan is brilliant #latelatetoyshow
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Well now we just won Best Play revival @uk_theatre @LyricBelfast @AbbeyTheatre @Jimifay @TraBreaga @artscouncil_ie @ArtsCouncilNI
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The absolute joy that is Miriam Margolyes. Such a pleasure meeting her and the equally fab @SenLynnRuane @AbbeyTheatre today with @TraBreaga to chat about Lady Gregory and a lot else besides. Amazing people.
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20 years ago in a field in Meath. Bono woke his father in the most moving, exultant, private and communal concert I think I will ever witness. Spine tingling still. No phones. No cameras. Just community @u2
piped.video/watch?v=UPDtSUz8…
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Can I respectfully ask that theatres/cinemas are opened in Lvl 3. I believe the social distanced / masked seating of less than 50 in a controlled environment is safe & a necessary salve to a large section of the public. This is about the public good & #savethearts
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Today's #TheAxisChats is @colinodonoghue1 Great conversation. Starting out, Youth Theatre in Drogheda, Calipo, @Gaietyschool, touring theatre, working @axisBallymun, Big Breaks, Music, Anthony Hopkins, @OnceABC, The Right Stuff @disneyplus & much more piped.video/watch?v=URjyXe8v…
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Sleep is dropping slow tonight. So I wrote some of what is in my head and heart down. I remember it…
Rest in peace Sinéad
#SineadOConnor
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For some reason it’s taken me 30 years to see them live but this gig was timeless. @suedeHQ were astounding and Brett Anderson is one of the greatest frontmen with a voice as rare and sounding better than ever. 1/
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“These are dangerous days
To say what you feel is to dig your own grave
Remember what I told you
If you were of the world they would love you”
Yes the voice of an Angel but boy could she write as well. One of the greatest songs. I am 💔 that won’t ever hear it live again.
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To mark #WorldMentalHealthDay I would ask anyone that I'm connected with on here to share something that helps you with yours. Whatever it is. Folk in the Arts or in any walk of life. RT this / use #whathelps #WorldMentalHealthDay It could help someone struggling #savethearts
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Stop Killing Children
Please, Please, Please
In the name of all that is humane
There is no justification. None.
This is stunning from Banksy
#ceasefirenow #gaza #Palestine
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Brand new #TheAxisChats 7pm tomorrow with @colinodonoghue1 but if you want some great listening this evening there’s 40 or so more on the playlist in link. @clelia_murphy @lennyabrahamson @AoibhIrish @MaverickSabre @lethal_dialect @CathyBelton @Colm_Keegan piped.video/playlist?list=PL…
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Fully seated, fully vaccinated, no bars, Actors antigen tested, highly skilled customer service and backstage staff. This makes no sense. #savethearts
We stand in solidarity with our colleagues across the sector.
The announcement of a 50% capacity restriction for indoor events has huge consequences.
We support @Campaign4Arts in their call for additional resources for those affected.
‘Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine’
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At a time when the very worst of humanity is on display at full volume the passing of someone who displayed the complete opposite is a profoundly sad moment but also a moment to remember what is possible and the effect it can have. Rest in peace Bros Kevin
rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/070…
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Waiting for Beckett on Inis Éire
with Uachtarán Michael D Higgins
@PresidentIRL @AbbeyTheatre @companysjdublin @GalwayIntArts
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This fire will not go out.
I’ve witnessed incredible people over the last three hours collaborating, thinking & assessing as I’m sure has been happening all over our sector.
Deflation is temporary
New ways will always break through
Onwards
#theatre #savethearts
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Happy Traveller Pride week to all my traveller friends. For everyone else it’s a time to listen, educate ourselves and advocate for equality for all. #Travellerprideweek
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The audio book version of Sinéad’s memoir is narrated by Sinéad herself and is a thing of great beauty #SineadOConnor
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‘I'll remember it
Every restless night
We were so young then
We thought that everything we could possibly do was right..’
No words yet for this loss.
Gratitude for your art, soul & bravery.
Codladh Sámh.
‘Being what you are
There is no other Troy
For you to burn’
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Remembering Fran O’Toole from Bray and the other members of The Miami Showband murdered 47 years ago today.
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I love my pint but can I ask media to spread the love a wee bit re. places of work that have had to close down. There's more to life than booze. Jobs are being lost everywhere the trauma is felt in the cultural sector too. Thanks @rte @VirginMediaIE @NewstalkFM #savethearts
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Tom Hickey RIP. An extraordinary actor who burnt bright from the mainstream to the challenging corners of humanity. From Benji to Raftery to the Gallant John-Joe his passion and precision was evident in all he did.
Travel well
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So this is happening
Translations by Brian Friel
directed by @TraBreaga
an @AbbeyTheatre and @LyricBelfast co-production
abbeytheatre.ie
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Just stop killing children. That is all. There is no excuse. No complexity.
Just stop killing children.
(This message is directed at anybody who is currently engaged in this practice, no matter where they are, on our beautiful planet).
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He thinks with a poets mind, holding the nations pen in an open hand.
Reminding us of our responsibility to a fairer society.
Inviting us to dream of what is & can be.
He who forged the arts a ministry, carries its flame to this day.
Breithlá shóna duit
#Michaeld80
@PresidentIRL
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Anyone around town during the week and fancy great coffee, free WiFi, delish lunch and good vibes, Pegeens café @AbbeyTheatre is open 10-5. And every furniture piece is from a production. Kettles on….
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Manchester United. 🧵
I started supporting #mufc in the late 70’s. From then through the 80’s, Cups & beating Liverpool was the holy grail. They were miles from winning the league most season. But the team (especially under the Doc & Big Ron) always played on the front foot, 1/
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To mark #WorldMentalHealthDay I would ask anyone that I'm connected with on here to share something that helps you with yours. Whatever it is. Folk in the Arts or in any walk of life. RT this / use #whathelps #worldmentalhealthday2020 It could help someone struggling #SaveTheArts
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Such an honour and a privilege to be co-Director @AbbeyTheatre with the extraordinary @TraBreaga and an amazing team of people. Onwards
Read here the Abbey Theatre Co-Directors' interview in today’s @IrishTimes @IrishTimesCultr: bit.ly/3tIPPW1
📷 @rgilliganphoto
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I ask that the creation/recording/streaming of performing arts, in safe socially distanced/professional spaces, adhering to all guidelines, be deemed essential services over the next months. It is my belief that it is essential for the public good to have this resource. RT
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To hear Christy Dignam is recieving palliative care at home has hit me like a freight train
A special talent & human
Voice of an angel
A fighter
A survivor
A true folk hero
With @OfficialAslan he created memories & a soundtrack for our hopes & dreams
Sending💪&❤️ Christy & family
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My last week @axisBallymun
As new and exciting adventures beckon so come
Loads of memories of truly great times
Love this photo
NYC 2010 with my partner in crime
the brilliant @NiamhNic
The Parting Glass, off Broadway
Magic
Onwards
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Nothing will ever beat London 2012
#OlympicGames Opening Ceremony for me. Pure Theatre. What Danny Boyle and all involved created that night was astounding. #olimpiadi2024
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They help create communal bonds, they create spaces to challenge perspectives and explore our humanity. As we emerge from COVID these spaces are needed now more than ever. Along with the need to facilitate thousands of highly skilled workers remaining in their industry 2/
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Drama, Film and Theatre Studies for the Leaving Cert.
What brilliant news. Congrats to sro so many people over many years who have worked so hard advocating and working towards this
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A year since the great Edna O’Brien passed. An indomitable spirit, a brilliant talent. Love this portrait by @colin_davidson
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