A CELEBRATION of the War of Independence in Clare will take place in song, dance and story at Glór in Ennis this Saturday night.
The creation of Dr Tim Collins, Breith features a cast of some of the county’s most renowned performers, alongside the Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) and the Kilfenora Céilí Band. The work has been in development for over a year and brings to life a creative vision that Dr Collins has long cherished.
“I have always held the view that, in this time of commemorations, we should celebrate the ordinary men and women involved in the struggle for Independence,” he said.
“It was ordinary men and women who got us our freedom and they weren’t doing it for themselves, but for the coming generations. In Clare, the memory of the revolutionary period from 1916 to 1921 is very much alive. I have plenty of stories from my own father and grandfather. One of the songs in Breith is called ‘For the Freedom of Our Children We Stand’ is about those ordinary, rural people who fought what was the world’s greatest empire at that time.”
A Newcastle West native, Dr Collins is a long time Clare resident and member of the internationally famous Kilfenora Ceilí Band.
A commission that he won in 2021, entitled ‘I Fought the War’ will also be incorporated into Breith. It spotlights the huge contribution of Clare women to the struggle for freedom.
“These monologues and music will be performed as part of the bigger work,” Dr Collins said.
“Often narratives of war are very masculine and women are written out, sometimes deliberately. This is about restoring the balance and recognising the fact that members of Cumann na mBan and other women played a huge part in achieving freedom.”
Breith is inspired too by many of the notable Clare incidents in the War. “Details from events at Rineen, Monreal and Clouna feature and another important source was the archive of Cuimhneamh an Chláir,” Dr Collins said.
“This was instrumental in providing insights into women’s experiences of war. They played a huge role in supporting the volunteers and their’s are very human stories. There were women who would be punished by their own community if they were seen ‘walking out’ with British soldiers.
“They might have their heads shaved as a punishment, so there is a breadth of trauma in conflict. Families were pulled apart, people had to go on the run. It was these human stories that dragged me in and I wanted to present a combination of nationally significant incidents and ordinary lives.”
The show traces the period of 1916 to December 6, 1921 when the Free State was formed. “The Free State wasn’t without its problems of course,” Dr Collins said, “but its creation was a huge achievement. The struggle for Independence is told in music, song, dance and spoken word. The three main sections deal with the mobilisation of volunteers after 1916, the War itself and the signing of the Truce. The show does point to the Civil War, but it is more about celebrating the birth of the State, as imperfect as that birth might have been.”
Performers taking part in the 70-minute long show include Mike Hanrahan, Seán Lyons
Edel Vaughan, Blackie O’Connell, Eimear Howley, Tara Breen, Eimear Coughlan, James Greenan and Cormac McCarthy. “Any production is only as good as those involved and I’m working with wonderful people,” Dr Collins said. “You need to surround yourself with brilliant people to realise a vision.”
In realising the vision, Dr Collins was supported by funding from Creative Ireland, as well as sponsorship from aviation company, Avolon. “Avolon as sponsors have been just brilliant,” he said. “I’m thrilled to have their backing. Helen Walsh and Siobhán Mulcahy have been just wonderful in terms of support for this project and their belief in it.”
Helen, who is County Librarian and Clare’s Creative Ireland/Decade of Centenaries co-ordinator said it is “an honour” for Ennis to have been chosen for the premier of Breith. She described the show as “a spectacular event which will provide a showcase for the rich cultural and historic heritage of the county”.
Avolon’s Ciara Ruan Chief People Officer with Avolon anticipated a hugely impressive opening night. “Avolon has a proud tradition of supporting Irish artists and innovative cultural projects like Breith,” she said. “Avolon also has strong roots in County Clare and many of the musicians involved in this production have been involved in our events over the years. I wish all involved the best of luck for what I know as a Clare native will be a great night.”