Pádriag Pearse was found innocent of charges of treason against the Irish people at a special sitting of the Carlingford Assizes in Carlingford last month. The majority innocent verdict of 33 to 28 (the narrow margin raising eyebrows in some quarters) found defense lawyer John Mitchel’s persuasive arguments to oughtweigh those of acerbic prosecutor Thomas D’Arcy McGee.
D’Arcy McGee is adamant that the jury was rigged and has lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court of History for a retrial. The good people of Dublin have offered to stage the Trial in The Cobblestone Bar, Smithfield on Thursday October 6th at 8.00 pm. Other communities in, Newry, Armagh, Belfast have also offered to enlist a balanced jury for a retrial.
The interactive nature of the play, written by Newryman Anthony Russell, in which the audience, as jury, deliberates and votes on the charges, is an engaging dimension to the 1916 centenary celebrations. The Irish diaspora in Canada will have the same opportunity when the play travels to Winnipeg for a 5 night run, then onto Montréal, Ottawa and Toronto in November.
Pearse’s passion for songs will be presented at The Cobblestone sitting by Síle Denvir and Gerry O’Connor, performing some of the material from Síle’s recently released CD, Caithréim, Ceol agus Amhráin ó Dhrámaí an Phiarsaigh / Music and Song in the Plays of Patrick Pearse.
www.facebook.com/trialofpadraigpearse
Playwright; Anthony Russell
Producer and Director; Donal O’Hanlon
Musical Director; Gerry O’Connor
Project Manager; Tommy Fegan
Further information; tommyfegan@gmail.com
00 44 7545 926 773
Forthcoming Performances
Thursday October 6th , The Cobblestone, Smithfield, Dublin.
Thursday October 13th Arts Centre, Newry
Monday October 31st-Friday 4th November; Winnipeg, Canada
Tuesday 8th November; Montréal, Canada
Thursday 10th November; Ottawa, Canada
Saturday 12th November; Toronto, Canada