Catalpa by Donal O'Kelly at the Civic Theatre Tallaght

What to Expect

Catalpa is a modern Irish theatre production written and performed by Donal O’Kelly, telling the story of the 1876 whaleship rescue that broke six Fenian prisoners out of a British penal colony in Western Australia. It is a solo-driven piece of storytelling theatre rather than a large-cast drama, built around O’Kelly’s own performance and accompanied by live music that runs through the show. The production leans on physical, inventive staging rather than heavy set design, which is a hallmark of O’Kelly’s work and something the Civic Theatre has hosted before.

The Catalpa rescue is one of the more dramatic, less commonly told episodes of 19th-century Irish history, involving an American whaling ship, a secretly planned escape, and a tense pursuit across the Pacific. O’Kelly’s telling of it has toured for years and picked up a reputation among Irish theatregoers for turning a fairly obscure historical footnote into a gripping night of theatre, using voice, movement and live musicians to conjure the ship, the ocean and the escape without conventional scenery.

This is a single evening performance rather than a multi-night run, so tickets for the 19 August date are likely to move quickly among regular Civic Theatre audiences and anyone with an interest in Irish history theatre. The show runs at 8:00pm, making it a straightforward weeknight outing for Tallaght and wider South Dublin audiences.

Good to Know

• One-night-only performance on Wednesday 19 August at 8:00pm
• Written and performed by Donal O’Kelly, with live music
• Tells the true story of the 1876 Catalpa whaleship rescue of Fenian prisoners
• Book ahead through the Civic Theatre box office or website
• Suited to adult audiences with an interest in Irish history and storytelling theatre

Getting There

The Civic Theatre is on Lord Edward Street in Tallaght town centre, a short walk from the Luas Red Line’s Tallaght stop. Bus routes 16, 49, 54A, 65 and 175 also serve the area, with parking available nearby in The Square shopping centre.