The Love Hungry Farmer - Cork Opera House

What to Expect

Seamus O’Rourke brings The Love Hungry Farmer to Cork Opera House for one night on Friday September 4, 2026 at 8pm. The play is a stage adaptation of John B. Keane’s writing, following John Bosco McLaine, a bachelor farmer who has “never lain down with a woman” but has carried romantic hopes all his life. Despite repeated setbacks and no shortage of unsolicited advice from his neighbours, he keeps chasing the idea of finding a wife with undimmed optimism. O’Rourke, often described as a natural successor to Keane as a teller of rural Irish stories, plays the part solo, carrying the humour and pathos of the piece through a single night’s performance. Expect the mix of laughter, longing and small-town observation that runs through Keane’s work, delivered in the storytelling style O’Rourke is known for around the country.

Good to Know

• Date: Friday September 4, 2026, one performance only.
• Time: 8pm.
• Venue: Cork Opera House, Emmet Place, Cork City.
• Tickets: €27 to €33, booking fees apply.
• Content note: the show may include strobe lighting, flashing lights, smoke and haze.
• Patrons under 16 must be accompanied by an adult (18 or over).
• Tickets and full details are through corkoperahouse.ie.

Getting There

Cork Opera House sits on Emmet Place in the city centre, beside the Crawford Art Gallery and a short walk from Patrick Street. It is close to the North Main Street and Paul Street car parks, and within easy walking distance of Kent Station and the main city bus routes, so there is no need to drive into the centre for an evening show.

Because this is a single-night run rather than an extended residency, it is worth booking ahead rather than waiting, since one-off touring dates like this tend to sell through in the days before the show.