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theatre · Saturday 12 September 2026 · 8:00pm 
The Love Hungry Farmer
At Backstage Theatre · Flancare Park, Longford, Co. Longford
At Backstage Theatre · Flancare Park, Longford, Co. Longford
John B. Keane wrote some of the most enduring comedies of Irish rural life, and The Love Hungry Farmer is one of his richest. At its centre is John Bosco McLaine - a man who has never lain down with a woman but has had romantic blood pulsing through his veins all his life. An optimist and a virgin in equal measure, he sets off in search of an ideal companion, undeterred by failure, unwelcome advice, or a scarcity of eligible women in his part of the country. Seamus O’Rourke, who has been playing and adapting this role on tour around Ireland for several seasons, brings extraordinary warmth and comic timing to it. If you appreciate the particular genius of Keane - the wistfulness behind the laughs, the longing in every blunder - this is an evening well spent.
The play is adapted from Keane’s novella and runs through John Bosco’s amorous adventures with a mix of the hilarious and the pitiful. O’Rourke is widely regarded as a natural successor to Keane’s storytelling tradition and has taken the show to sell-out seasons at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, as well as the Edinburgh and Adelaide Festivals. The production contains adult themes and innuendo and is aimed at audiences aged 18 and over. Expect an uproarious night that also carries real tenderness - Keane never lets you forget that the comedy comes from a place of loneliness and desire.
Backstage Theatre seats 212 and has a reputation for presenting quality touring productions in an intimate setting. The venue has been a cornerstone of arts in Co. Longford since it opened in 1995 and programmes theatre, dance, comedy and music from its home at Flancare Park.
Longford town is well connected by road and rail. The M4 - M6 motorway corridor brings Dublin drivers to within easy reach; Longford is roughly 125km from the capital. The town has its own railway station with regular Intercity services on the Dublin Heuston to Westport and Ballina line - check Irish Rail for times. From the station, the theatre is a short walk or taxi ride. Flancare Park has car parking on site, which is useful for those driving from outside the town.
Longford town is a compact midlands county town with a strong community feel, and an evening at Backstage Theatre fits naturally into a wider visit. There is more to see in Longford and across Co. Longford.
Heading to Backstage Theatre in Longford? Longford has plenty more to see. Read the Longford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.