Emerging Young Artists

Mary Blake

01 June — 31 December 2020

About the Artist(s)

Leitrim native Mary Blake has been working in youth theatre for 15 years. She has written, devised and directed plays with young people throughout the county. She works as a drama facilitator in several schools and specialises in using improvisation and role play to explore issues important to young people. Mary qualified as a Youth Arts facilitator in NUI Maynooth and was recently awarded a distinction in Directing for Theatre, also at NUIM.

Jack Collum is a writer and poet from Drumsna, County Leitrim. Jack studies in UCD and is currently going into his final year of a History and Philosophy B.A. In April 2018 Jack's first collection of poetry, 'Perspective' was published. He has recited poetry on national and local radio, as well as public functions. Since the publication of his first collection, he has been steadily building up an extensive body of poetry. He also explores other fictional media, with particular emphasis on short stories and drama.

Alice Kelly is 22 years old and was raised in Leitrim Village. She studied English Literature in UCD and The Sorbonne in Paris. After graduating, Alice moved to New York to pursue a career in journalism but found herself returning home in the midst of the pandemic. As a writer, she typically writes short stories and essays, drawing most of her inspiration from ordinary daily encounters, mundane to most but compelling to her.

Vinny McBrien from Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, is a director, actor, stage manager, writer and all round theatre enthusiast. He has just completed his Bachelor Degree in Drama, Theatre and Performance in NUI Galway. While Vinny feels drama should highlight important issues in the world around us, he also believes that it can also be used as an escape from the worries and struggles of everyday life. To date he has Directed the play 'The Devil's Ceili' By Philip Doherty and Kevin McGahern - Stage managed 'Zugzwang'
by Patrick Fogarty which was one of the plays picked to represent NUI Galway's Dramsoc at the Irish Student Drama Association Festival 2020.

Dylan McGloin is an actor/designer from Glenade. Co Leitrim, He is 19 years old and is studying Performing Arts Design in IT Sligo. He has major interest in writing and directing plays but loves learning and doing a variety of projects which let him broaden his experiences, such as video editing, lighting, stage design, costume design, stage management. He loves the possibilities of what writing can do when it comes to everyday lives and showing off what we can say about our states of minds and well being and who we are behind closed doors.

Mia Blake is from Leitrim Village, Co. Leitrim. From a young age, she has had an interest in most aspects of theatre and music. She is 19 years old and is going into her second year of studying a B.A Performing Arts at the Institute of Technology Sligo. Mia was a long-term member of Leitrim Youth Theatre and enjoyed performing in the club’s annual production. In 2020, she was Stage Manager for Exit Does Theatre’s production of 'Hairy Jaysus' by Donal O’Kelly and sound operator for the immersive performance of 'Knock Me Down', co-created by Rhona Trench and Holly Maples. Mia plays the part of Jess in 'Live Stream' by Vinny McBrien.

Niamh Geoghegan is 22 years old and is from Leitrim Village. Niamh studies Instrument and Music Technology in Athlone Institute of Technology. During her time in AIT, she has made a mandolin, cajon drum, an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar. She also has produced songs and was a voice actor and Foley artist for one of her AIT projects. Niamh plays the part of Jenny and did the sound recording for the film 'New Normal'.

Saoirse Gibbons is 23 years old. She studies Drama, Theatre and Performance with Gaeilge in National University Ireland Galway. This year, she performed in Kipps 'Half a Sixpence the Musical' with Galway University Musical Society. This is her first opportunity to act in a short-film and has really enjoyed the experience. Saoirse plays the part of Steph in 'New Normal'.

Ivan Crosbie is an 18 year old college student from Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim, who is currently studying Performing Arts in Sligo IT. Ivan has been involved in theatre since the age of 10 and has acted in numerous plays with Leitrim Youth Theatre. Ivan attended the Kilkenny National Festival of Youth Theatre in the Summer of 2018.

Conor O’Rourke is 19 years old and from Fenagh, Co.Leitrim. He has been studying Film and TV Production in Dublin for two years and is an aspiring writer and director for cinema. Throughout his years of study he has written and directed 10 of his own short films. During the pandemic he spent time writing or drawing up new film concepts, which he hopes to bring to life as soon as he can, with the great artistic people he has met from participating in this project.

Caoimhe Gallagher Lawson is a 19 year old artist and filmmaker from Drumkeeran, Leitrim. She is currently in her second year studying Film & Television production in IADT. She has been making films since she was sixteen and has won several awards for her short films. She has a keen interest in art and was awarded the highest grade in History of Art in Northern Ireland for her A levels. As an artist, she tends to try to break the rules and conventions of filmmaking and uses her art as a platform to highlight and express her thoughts and opinions on various subjects.

Patrick Sweeney is 21 years old and from Drumshanbo. He studies Medicine in NUI Galway and is currently a postman for the summer. Patrick is involved with GUMS- Galway University Musical Society, and has taken part in various shows such as Kipps 'Half a Sixpence the Musical', 'Pippin', and last years inter varsities winner 'The Lost and Found of Beanotown'. Patrick worked with the National Youth Theatre in their production of 'Salt Mountain' written by Carmel Winters, and also took part in this year’s Scene and Heard festival in the Smock Alley theatre. He has worked with Leitrim Youth Theatre throughout his childhood and is delighted to be back working with the arts in Leitrim

This residency brought together a large number of very talented young artists from across the county of Leitrim. Under the guidance of Mary Blake the group worked as poets, playwrights, writers, directors, producers, actors, camera operators, editors, musicians and sound engineers and produced six short films which you can watch above.

A few words from Mary Blake about the residency

"I had been thinking of all the young artists, whose beautiful wings, now fully grown, had been cruelly clipped by the Covid-19 restrictions. No summer jobs, no meeting up with their friends, no outlet for their creativity. To help protect the old and vulnerable, they were asked to stay indoors, we thank them for this. Collaboration in the arts is no new thing, people with different talents and skills working together to create something that requires more than one person or one art form. But usually, they get to meet, to chat and walk through the process together. They would get the opportunity to get a concept up on its feet, play around with different options and see what works best. For now, these avenues were closed, and the talent was isolated in their childhood bedrooms where our migrating birds had to wait out the storm.

With all this in mind I talked to Sarah Searson, and was very grateful that The Dock would support and promote this project. I approached writers Vinny McBrien, Aughavas, Jack Colum, Drumsna and Alice Kelly, Leitrim Village and gave them two weeks to write a short script for film. Covid restrictions meant that scripts should account for social distancing, small cast, and other such boring limitations.

These writers put the heads down and came back with great work. After reading them I decided who to cast, and they had other contacts who could help with filming. The ball was rolling. I was aware of two film makers from North Leitrim who were producing interesting stuff and tracked them down, one of my actors was aware of a film maker in Fenagh and I grabbed him too. I wanted to include a semi-improvised film too and knew just the pair of actors to approach for my film New Normal. Thanks to my talented husband Mick Blake who owed me a few favours and helped hugely in many aspects of this project"

YOU CAN VIEW ALL SHORT FILMS HERE :