A Rehearsed Play Reading of ‘MacSwiney’

Written by John Dunne; Starring: Raymond Nolan, Derek Murphy, Gillian Horgan and Alex Harland

MacSwiney is a hard-hitting play, first written in 2020 by theatre director and playwright John Dunne, to mark the centenary of the death of Terence MacSwiney, who died while on hunger strike in Brixton Gaol London on the 25th October 1920 after 74 days of starvation at the hands of the British authorities. The play also tells the story of Cork Mayor Tomás Mac Curtáin who was killed by British forces a few months earlier.

1920 was a momentous year during which Ireland continued it’s struggle for independence from the British. So much happened within a short period that it was difficult to keep pace. However, the death of MacSwiney stands out because it happened on British soil, within a prison hospital under the watchful eye of medical staff who tried to keep MacSwiney alive. These events also took place under the scrutiny of the British press and world public opinion, much of which was sympathetic to MacSwiney’s plight – and, indeed, the plight of Ireland.

Thu 27 July 2023

Doors: 7.00pm; Starts: 7.30pm

Tickets: £10/£8

The ICC Is delighted to present this powerful ‘Rehearsed Playreading’ of MacSwiney, to commemorate the first anniversary of the passing of the playwright and director John Dunne, who died on the 14th August 2022; John was dedicated to keeping the rich culture and history of Ireland alive in London through theatre. Over many years, when he was  Artistic Director of London Irish Theatre, John brought many productions here to the ICC and this play MacSwiney, which was produced exactly 3 years ago in July 2020, is a fine example of John’s work.