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theatre · Thursday 24 September 2026 · 8:00pm 
The Quiet Men
At The Source Arts Centre · Cathedral St, Thurles Townparks, Thurles, Co. Tipperary
At The Source Arts Centre · Cathedral St, Thurles Townparks, Thurles, Co. Tipperary
A one-person show that spans Dublin tenements, Hollywood studios and the Abbey stage, The Quiet Men is a biographical performance written and performed by Morgan C Jones - the great-grandnephew of the two Dubliners at its centre. Barry FitzGerald and Arthur Shields were brothers who fought in the 1916 Easter Rising, made careers in theatre, and eventually crossed the Atlantic to become genuine Hollywood names. Barry won an Oscar in 1944 for Going My Way and later appeared in John Ford’s The Quiet Man. Arthur worked steadily in film and on stage throughout the same era. Jones digs into the private lives behind the public careers, and what he found is genuinely surprising. This is a show for anyone who enjoys history brought to life through personal story - theatre enthusiasts, fans of classic film, and anyone curious about the Irish diaspora experience in twentieth-century America.
The piece runs at sixty minutes and is performed solo by Jones, who takes on multiple voices and roles across the narrative. Director Conall Morrison, known for ambitious productions at the Abbey and beyond, shapes the material into something tight and theatrical. The story takes in Barry’s 1945 manslaughter charge, his decades of living a closeted life while playing priests on screen, Arthur’s tangled personal life, and encounters with figures including Alfred Hitchcock and James Connolly. It is not a hagiography - Jones is after the complicated truth of two men who achieved a great deal and kept a great deal hidden. The Source Arts Centre’s 250-seat theatre is an intimate setting that suits the material well. Expect a lively post-show atmosphere in the venue’s cafe bar.
Thurles is one of the better-connected towns in Tipperary for public transport. The railway station sits on the main Dublin Heuston to Cork line, with regular Intercity services throughout the day - the journey from Dublin takes around 90 minutes. From Cork the trip is under two hours. Bus Eireann and JJ Kavanagh Coaches also serve routes linking Thurles to Limerick, Nenagh, Cashel and Clonmel. The Source Arts Centre is on Cathedral Street in the town centre, a short walk from the station. Parking is available on the surrounding streets and at nearby town-centre car parks.
Thurles is the home of Semple Stadium, one of the great GAA grounds in Ireland, and the town takes genuine pride in its hurling heritage - the GAA itself was founded here in 1884. It is worth arriving a little early to walk the town before the show. There is more to see in Thurles and across Co. Tipperary.
Heading to The Source Arts Centre in Thurles? Tipperary has plenty more to see. Read the Thurles area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.