One of Galway’s greatest homegrown makers of theatre Dr Máiréad Ní Chróinín has been named as the new Druid Artist in Residence at NUIG.
Working in close partnership with Druid Artistic Director, Dr Garry Hynes and other artists from Galway’s famed theatre group, Dr Ní Chróinín will coordinate the Druid Academy partnership with NUI Galway.
“As the co-director of an independent theatre company based in the West, Druid has been a huge inspiration and I am very excited to now work with them directly and with NUI Galway,” Máiréad Ní Chróinín said.
A Galway native, Máiréad Ní Chróinín established Moonfish Theatre, with her sister Ionia, in 2006.
The company has created work in English and Irish, toured their work nationally and internationally, presenting at festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe, Galway Theatre Festival, Galway International Arts Festival, Dublin Theatre Festival and the Dublin Fringe.
Moonfish’s acclaimed, bi-lingual adaptation of Joseph O’Connor’s Star of the Sea toured twice in Ireland in 2015 and 2017, and toured to the US in 2018.
Their upcoming show, Redemption Falls, is freely adapted from the novel by Joseph O’Connor, and is a co-production with Galway International Arts Festival, the Abbey Theatre, and Town Hall Theatre, Galway.
It will have its World Premiere in An Taibhdhearc during the 2019 Galway International Arts Festival and will transfer to the Peacock stage at the Abbey Theatre during Dublin Theatre Festival 2019.
Dr Ní Chroinín’s experience will be a valuable part of the Academy partnership, where the Druid Theatre imparts their
This academy partnership was created to allow the Druid Theatre to impart their methodology to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
It focuses on ensemble as a mode of performance, rigorous critical analysis of theatre, by both practitioners and audiences, and an awareness of the importance of the audience wherever you are.
The classes cover a range of topics ranging from casting, to direction, to set design, complementing third level drama and theatre training at NUIG.
“The Druid Academy was borne out of a vision to foster a new generation of theatre makers in the west of Ireland,” Garry Hynes said.
“Dr Ní Chróinín’s dedication and experience make her the ideal candidate to continue our commitment to this key relationship between Druid and NUI Galway.”
Dr Charlotte McIvor, head of Drama and Theatre Studies at NUIG said that working with the Druid Academy is “one of the most distinctive features of our academic programmes”.
“Dr Ní Chróinín’s career to date epitomises the values of Druid Theatre through her own commitment to working rigorously as part of an ensemble and creating theatre that responds directly to the West of Ireland.”
“We are thrilled to be continuing this partnership through this exciting appointment.”
