Ground-breaking bus theatre show coming to Mayo Gaeltacht

THIS August, audiences are invited aboard a bus for an unforgettable theatrical journey through the spectacular landscape of north Mayo, where family, biodiversity and the future of the Irish language collide.

Tír an Traonaigh / Land of the Corncrakes is a major new Irish-language site-specific production from An Taibhdhearc and The Performance Corporation, inspired by one of nature's most extraordinary migrations. Funny, playful and visually ambitious, Tír an Traonaigh has all the hallmarks of The Performance Corporation's groundbreaking site-specific work, blending theatre, music, movement and extraordinary landscapes into a theatrical experience unlike any other.

Commissioned by An Taibhdhearc, The Irish National Language Theatre,Tír an Traonaigh is written by Tom Swift and directed by Jo Mangan and runs from August 19 to 23. This unique production unfolds across multiple locations in and around Belmullet, with audiences travelling together through the landscape as the story is revealed.

Performed entirely through Irish, the production features Caitríona Ní Mhurchú, Maeve McGrath, Seamus Moran and Stephanie Dufresne, combining live performance, music, projection and the landscape itself to create an unforgettable theatrical experience in the heart of the Mayo Gaeltacht..

At the heart of the story are two sisters, Annie and Deirbhle, whose long-running feud over land, nature and a noisy little bird sets them on an emotional field trip. Central to their story is the corncrake, whose annual migration between Africa and the Mullet Peninsula becomes a powerful symbol of biodiversity, memory and belonging.

The corncrake means different things for each of the women - for environmentalist Deirbhle, the bird’s distinctive ‘Crex Crex’ call brings back memories of their father and happier times. For Annie, it’s an annoyance that stands in the way of progress and practicality on their struggling farm in Emlyclough (Imleach Chloch). But when Deirbhle goes missing while on a field trip in Africa, everything changes.

Through its exploration of fragile ecosystems and the erosion of wildlife habitats, the play draws a parallel with the fragility of the Irish language in the Mayo Gaeltacht, ultimately expressing hope for the future of both. As with their previous work in the area, the play is rooted in the language, landscape and nature of the community.

The production stars Caitríona Ní Mhurchú (Ros na Rún, Acceptable Risk) and Maeve McGrath (Fair City, Ros na Rún) as two sisters returning home to confront the future of their family, their language and one of Ireland's rarest birds.

This co-production brings together two organisations with distinct artistic traditions to create an ambitious new contemporary work in Irish. It also marks The Performance Corporation's third site-specific production in north Mayo, following the sold-out successes of Disappearing Islands (set at the Belmullet tidal pool) and Lizzie Lavelle and the Vanishing of Emlyclough (set in the Carne sand dunes), continuing the company's long-standing creative relationship with the region and its communities.

Speaking about the production, Jo Mangan, artistic director of The Performance Corporation, said: "North Mayo has always been where my heart is. My family roots are here and, we have been privileged to be based here in recent years. It's a place that has shaped me personally as much as it has shaped me creatively, and one that continues to inspire through its extraordinary landscape, its people, its stories and the richness of its language.

“We've been incredibly fortunate to create work here before and each project has deepened our connection with this remarkable place and its communities. I'm absolutely delighted to be returning to Belmullet with Tír an Traonaigh, a new story that could only exist here.

“Created in partnership with An Taibhdhearc, it's a celebration of this landscape, the Irish language, and the deep connections between people, place and nature. We can't wait to welcome audiences aboard and share this journey with them."

Tickets are available here.