The Rise and Rise of the Healy Raes – A Play in Two Acts

Danny Healy Rae and Michael Healy Rae Election Count 27-2-2017
Reality Check: Danny and Michael Healy Rae, TD preparing for an interview with Newstalk on the occasion of their greatest electoral achievement when they both won Dáil seats in the February 2016 general election. That’s Joe McGill of Radio Kerry in the background. Now a play by a fellow Kerry man is set to sweep through the county and beyond over the next couple of months. ©Photograph: John Reidy 27-2-2016

A Play in Two Acts – On a World Tour of Kerry

This time last year we were up to our oxters in politics and the talk about the general election in February and how would the Healy Raes, Michael, TD and Cllr. Danny get on with the voters.

We know now. There’s a lot of uisce imithe faoin droichead since but we’re still in the grip of the most acceptable form of blood sport going.

Think Bums on Seats

If you think we’ve seen all we have to see about the Healy Raes, think again, think theatre, think bums on seats, think ticket bookings, think of the season we’re in and you’re getting really warm.

Also around this time last year The Irish Times, in reporting on the findings of a TG4 general election poll, ran a story under the following headline: Healy-Rae double act set to take Kerry seats.

Now you could adapt the headline to read: Healy-Rae double act set to fill Kerry seats.

The poster foe the Ray O'Sullivan penned play, The Rise and Rise of the Healy Raes advertising its Scartaglin date.
The poster for the Ray O’Sullivan penned play, The Rise and Rise of the Healy Raes advertising its date with Scartaglin.

At A Theatre Near You

The Rise and Rise of the Healy Raes is a play in, appropriately enough, two acts and it will be coming to a theatre near you soon.

Written by Killarney based entertainer and storyteller, Ray O’Sullivan, the work is in rehearsals at present and it’s being directed by Kerry’s Eye journalist and playwright, Aidan O’Connor.

The fully polished product will soon embark of a ‘World Tour of Kerry’ according to its author and it will be launched in Beaufort on March 11th. at 8pm.

Coming to the Ivy Leaf

Castleisland’s Ivy Leaf Art Centre is earmarked for its second outing. That’s on Saturday night, March 25th at 8pm. Another local date will take in Scartaglin on Saturday night April 8th again at 8pm.

Speaking to The Maine Valley Post  this week, Michael Healy Rae, TD said that Mr. O’Sullivan ran a synopsis of the idea for the play by him earlier when it was at the planning stage.

“I know Ray well and he’s a great seanchaí and storyteller and Aidan O’Connor did a fantastic job with his own play last year.

We’re in Good Hands

“I think we’re in good hands and if there’s anything in it that’s having a go at us we’re big and able enough to take it in our strides. It won’t bother us.

“What I hate is when fellas take cheap old shots at people who have retired or are dead and gone and can’t stand up for themselves – and there’s a lot of that going on at present.

“I wish the boys well with the play and I hope it all goes well for them,” Mr. Healy Rae concluded.

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