Another world premiere for Stage Left!

MOST groups are not lucky enough to get to present even one premiere, but Tuam's Stage Left Youth Theatre is about to stage its second in under a year. Following on from the world premiere of Shamstiltskin last year, these extremely talented youngsters are bringing The Battle of Old McDonald's Farm to The Mall Theatre for three nights in the second week of June. The Battleâ€Â¦ has been specially written for Stage Left by a man who needs no introduction to Tuam audiences. Kevin O'Dwyer has written, directed and acted in a multitude of productions over the years with many different groups. He has written pantos and a number of plays, with his most recent hilarious works, Accident and Emergency and Tales From a Monbach, playing to packed houses and great acclaim in Tuam Arts Festival over the past two years. He is a man of great wit and observation, and Stage Left is honoured that he has given our youngsters the chance to perform this very clever and funny work for the first time. Stage Left Youth Theatre has become a well-known name around Tuam and its surrounding towns, and with good reason. The standard of shows that the group has produced since its first show Sisters in 2009, is second to none, and this year will be no different. Past shows such as Honk, Jim Bob Joe, Oliver and Shamstilstskin, were huge successes, and the group is building on that experience to bring top class shows to The Mall this year again. Couple that talent and experience with the writing skill of a man like Kevin, and we are sure to have a great night of family entertainment. This premiere is a must see show, and it will run from Monday June 11 to Wednesday June 13 at 7:30 pm nightly. Tickets are available from Quinn's Newsagents, Bishop Street (093 26060). Talks on Eyre Square and Darcys in City Museum GALWAY City Museum will commemorate the 300th anniversary of Eyre Square on Saturday, June 2, with a talk by Brendan McGowan on the origins and development of the Square at 12 pm, followed by a talk at 3 pm on the life of Mary Creaven D'Arcy, which will be delivered by Gerald D'Arcy as part of the D'Arcy family reunion programme of events. The Eyre Square talk at 12 pm will focus primarily on the principal monuments and buildings of the area and will include some rare images of the Square, dating back to the early 1900s when the statue of Lord Dunkellin stood proudly on the north end. In medieval times sports such as jousting took place in the area now known as Eyre Square, which was located immediately outside of the old town walls. On a darker note a gallows was located nearby and bodies were often buried in the Square itself, many of which were excavated during the recent redevelopment. In 1712 Edward Eyre â€Ëœgifted' the Square to the people of the town. Gerald D'Arcy's talk at 3pm will focus on the life and times of his own grandmother, Mary D'Arcy (née Creaven). From her birth in 1862 to her death in 1947 Mary D'Arcy's life is a tale of emigration, tragedy and drama. She spent much of her life in the coal mining village of Silverdale in North Staffordshire and had six children with Salthill stonemason Redmond D'Arcy. Her story forms the skeleton of the talk but will also be a reference point to a greater discussion about the D'Arcy famly. Both events are free of charge but booking is essential. For further information contact 091 532460 or email museum@galwaycity.ie RIA honours NUIG scholars TWO NUI Galway academics were admitted as new members of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) at a special ceremony in Dublin recently. Prof Steven Ellis and Prof Adrian Frazier were among only 22 academics in Ireland to achieve this highest academic distinction Steven Ellis is Professor of History at NUI Galway. His publications over three decades have made a major contribution to our understanding of the political, religious and cultural history of late medieval and early modern Ireland, and have established him as an internationally recognised authority on the history of frontier societies. Adrian Frazier is Professor of English at NUI Galway. His work on modern Irish literature has opened up new fields of inquiry in territories often passed over: introducing new historicism to the study of Irish theatre; re-introducing George Moore to a world that had forgotten him; and bringing alive the story of Abbey actors working with John Ford in Hollywood. Congratulating them, NUIG President Dr Jim Browne said: 'Research and academic excellence are the cornerstones of all that we do here at NUI Galway. I am very proud to see the work of my colleagues, Professors Adrian Frazier and Steven Ellis recognised by the Royal Irish Academy. Admission to the Academy is the highest academic honour in Ireland. It is a testament to the calibre of our staff and research to see the work of two of our finest humanities scholars honoured.'