2016 will mark the centenary of the Easter Rising and so there will be a broad programme of cultural events and projects taking place nationwide.
Sligo Stories is a project devised by the Hawk’s Well Theatre. The project seeks to collect stories about Sligo circa 1916, in particular those that refer to Sligo Gaol and its environs as well as general stories about life in Sligo at that time.
To this end, the theatre have brought together a group of Cuairteoiri – volunteers from the community who are locating, interviewing and recording the stories of those who have accounts relating to this time, both first-hand accounts as well as those that are passed down through families and friends, painting an informed picture of what life was like in Sligo at this time.
The theatre’s Cuairteoiri are reviving the Irish tradition which was known as “to go on Cuairt”, whereby people visited neighbours and friends and told stories.
These stories will then be used as research material for a piece of theatre that will be created by the Hawk’s Well Theatre and their Actor in Residence, Bob Kelly.
Originally a member of Sligo Youth Theatre, Bob Kelly studied theatre at the prestigious Ecole de Jacques Lecoq in Paris. He has performed at The Louvre, The Abbey and at The Royal Ballet School. He is a regular collaborator with Blue Raincoat Theatre Company, and in 2012 was nominated for an Irish Times Theatre Award for his work with them on “The Poor Mouth”.
The team at the Hawk’s Well Theatre have also been in contact with Irish embassies abroad as well as other societies that embrace the Irish diaspora, casting a wider net to ensure the broadest possible collective experience.
It is not too late to get involved in Sligo Stories. If you have accounts that relate to Sligo at the turn of the last century, or if you know of family or friends in Ireland or abroad who might have interesting stories to tell, contact the Hawk’s Well team at sligo@hawkswell.com
