Age recommendation: All
Trigger Warnings: None
27 Sep–30 Sep
Karan Casey and The Everyman were proud to present the world premiere of The Women, We Will Rise as part of Cork Folk Festival.
The Women, We Will Rise featured songs and stories about the women of Ireland, past, present and future with a particular focus on the women of the Irish revolutionary period.
Presented by Karan Casey and The Everyman in association with Cork Folk Festival, this new show, which was directed by Tom Creed, progressed the female narrative in the folk tradition. It placed women centre stage and shared through song the experiences of gallant women from Ireland’s past, whilst singing into being a vision for the women of the future.
Joined by Niamh Dunne and Seán Óg Graham with composition from Niall Vallely, Karan Casey performed songs from her highly acclaimed album, Nine Apples of Gold, as well as new material in an uplifting and empowering show.
★★★★ “The healing powers of female friendship are at the heart of this powerful new collection from Karan Casey. Her 12th album speaks of an artist in her prime: in full possession of her expressive powers and using them to shine a light on the many inequities that blight women’s lives.” – Siobhán Long, Irish Times
“Casey is, of course, one of the great singers in Irish music and this new album is filled with utterly gorgeous original songs that show she is an artist still at the top of the game. Nine Apples of Gold is a hard hitting, take no prisoners sort of album. The music is gorgeous and it speaks directly and supportively on a range of issues that I think will resonate very strongly with many. Nine Apples is made of gutsy stuff and I dig it. You will too.” – Irish Echo
“Casey’s voice is among the loveliest in folk music and she’s a wonderful interpreter of both contemporary and traditional material.” – Boston Globe
★★★★ “Karan Casey’s latest album is revelatory. She’s always been a singer of songs that tell a story and show their muscle…This is a strikingly three-dimensional work that stands the test of intensive and repeated listening with ease. A vivid and dazzling snapshot of Casey invincible, at the height of her powers.” – Siobhán Long, Irish Times
Written by Karan Casey
Directed by Tom Creed
Lighting Designer Sinéad Wallace
Sound and Video Designer Niall Vallely
Costume Stylist Jessica Healy-Rettig
Karan Casey Voice and piano
Niamh Dunne Fiddle and vocals
Seán Óg Graham Guitar
Line Producer Aoife Clarke
Production Manager Dónal McNinch
Stage Manager Ilona McCormick
Chief LX Patrick Lehane
Sound Engineer Thomas Donoghue
Video Technician Seamus Hegarty
Sound Technician Christine Caldbeck
Anne Twomey, who teaches History, English and Political Studies on the Adult Education programme in Farranferris, led a post-show talk on Thursday 28 September.
Anne Twomey is a graduate of UCC where she took English and History for her BA. She has an MA in History and a H. Dip in Education, also from UCC.
She has been working in Adult Education since 1998. Anne is the Adult Ed Educator in Farranferris College ETB in Cork City and teaches History, English and Political Studies on the programme.
Anne is also a member of the Shandon Area History Group in Cork City, a very active local history group. They have been involved in local history exhibitions and published the book Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Times, the story of 11 Cork women during the revolutionary years, for the 2019 centenary commemorations.
The group has a Facebook page that has regular posts on local and national history topics. Anne is a regular contributor to the Mother Jones Summer School, local heritage week and Lifelong Learning Festival, all in Cork. She delivers talks to local history groups around the city and county of Cork. Her focus is mainly on the contributions of Cork women to the history of their city. In recent years, Anne has also partaken in several documentaries that dealt with the role of women in Irish History.
In 2022 Shandon Area History Group took part in the tercentenary of Shandon Church and Steeple. Anne and her colleagues worked on a story board exhibition focussing on the historic and iconic Shandon Church and its place in the hearts of Corkonians.
Age recommendation: All
Trigger Warnings: None
Post Show Talk