Echoes of Brigid

Voices of the Feminine Spirit of Ireland

 An afternoon celebrating the women of Ireland through poetry, prose, drama, and music. 

Directed by Catherine Benjamin and Nora Stephens

Produced by Catherine Benjamin

Featuring Catherine Benjamin, Mary Casey, Diana Dunlap, Nora Stephens

Introductions by Katherine O'Callaghan 

Music by The HCE Trio

Rosanne Santucci (Flute, Tin Whistle & Pipes)

Fern Tamagini-O’Donnell (Fiddle)

Tony Keegan (Bodhrán)

Some Audience reactions:

Wow! Just Wow Excellent show Fantastic, Performers were terrific

Very Enjoyable afternoon Loved delivery, ambiance, emotion Congratulations, you did it all

Loved Irish spoken and sung, tranfixed This was amazing, beautifully done, what talent

Thank you, brightened my day This was fantastic, keep going It was amazing and inspiring, Thanks

Beautiful, great balance of music and stories

 PROGRAM

The Country Girls - An Excerpt from the novel by Edna O’Brien

A tribute to the late Edna O’Brien (1930 – 2024)

Narrated by Catherine Benjamin

with Mary Casey, Diana Dunlap and Nora Stephens

Letters from Brigids

Dramatization of actual correspondence between Nora McCarthy, Haverhill MA and Hannah Collins, Elmira, NY, Irish immigrants to the US, who worked as “Brigids” (Irish Domestic Servants)

Nora McCarthy               Catherine Benjamin

Hannah Collins               Diana Dunlap

Adapted by Cathal Stephens from original letters written by Hannah Collins between 1898 and 1900, part of the Donovan McCarthy letters collection, collected, transcribed and annotated by the late Prof. Patricia O’Malley.

The Statue of the Virgin at Granard Speaks

Poem by Paula Meehan                          

Read by Mary Casey 

She Moves Through the Fair

Sung by Nora Stephens

A Ghost in the Throat

An Excerpt from the novel by Doireann Ní Ghríofa                            

Read by Mary Casey

Caoineadh Airt Ó Laoighaire  (The lament for Art O’Leary)

Poem by Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill

(the subject of A Ghost in the Throat)                          

Read by Mary Casey (in Irish) 

and Diana Dunlap (in English)

 'Sé mo laoch, mo ghile mear (He’s my hero, my gallant darling)

Sung in Irish by Mary Casey

Chorus by Catherine Benjamin, Diana Dunlap and Nora Stephens

Three Poems for Brigid 

Old Biddy Talk                      by Paula Meehan      

Read by Mary  Casey

At Brigid's Well                     by Doireann Ní Ghríofa     

Read by Diana Dunlap

i mbolc - an invocation         by Nidhi Zak/Aria Eip

Read by Catherine Benjamin

I’ll tell me Ma                        Traditional song

All Sing