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theatre · Thursday 10 September 2026 · 8:00pm 
Leaving - Flocking Arts
At Garage Theatre · Monaghan Education Campus, Armagh Road, Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
At Garage Theatre · Monaghan Education Campus, Armagh Road, Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
Flocking Arts brings Philip Osment’s Leaving to the Garage Theatre for two nights in September, a drama about a farming family split between the son who stays and the son who leaves. Directed by Barry McSkeane, the production follows Una and Paddy’s two sons, Sean, who has committed to the family farm, and Noel, who has gone to UCD, and what happens when Noel returns home without warning.
The play was first staged at the Garage Theatre in 2002 by Quare Hawks Theatre, and this new Flocking Arts production returns it to the same stage more than two decades on. It is billed as an intimate, character-driven piece rather than a big touring show, built around the tension between the son who has stayed loyal to the land and the one who chose university and a life away from it. Expect a close, dialogue-heavy production examining belonging, family obligation and the cost of choosing a different path than the one you were raised for, themes that carry particular weight in a farming county like Monaghan. The run is two performances only, on consecutive nights, so seats are limited compared with a longer run.
The Garage Theatre is on the Monaghan Education Campus, just off the Armagh Road on the edge of Monaghan town, a short walk from the town centre. Parking is available on site, and the box office is open weekdays from 10am to 2pm for phone and in-person bookings.
The Garage Theatre sits close to the town centre, so a night at the theatre pairs easily with dinner in town beforehand. There is more to see in Monaghan and across Co. Monaghan.
Heading to Garage Theatre in Monaghan? Monaghan has plenty more to see. Read the Monaghan area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.
In town for Garage Theatre? These Dublin tours book out in summer.