On Friday 12th December I went to a Hiring Fair in Limavady High School. As I entered the foyer, I was whisked back in time to the town of Strabane in the 1920s, where I was greeted by lively bestockinged dancers circling a tree. A turnip shearer was leaning against the tree – a bargain for anyone with £2 4s 3d in their pocket. Nearby was a group of boys who were making rope and in the background stood a row of beautiful thatched cottages. All around were the sights and sounds of the market square. I stopped to read the account of Lizzie Scott who was hired at the Gallop and declared of the fare on offer to a hired servant:
“When you got a wheen ’o good spuds and a drop ’o salt an’ a mug ’o buttermilk you were rightly done for.”
Irish Dancers in Foyer
Kiddies for sale
Bright-eyed girls, eager for employment, accosted me as I walked towards McBrier’s Meats and the sweet shop with its huge jars of barley sugar. These children offered themselves as hard workers for as little as six shillings for six months, and nothing to pay til the end. However, I was distracted by the baaing of sheep – three black rams to be specific – corralled just outside the Assembly Hall and on sale for £2. I was trying to work out how I could wrap one in Christmas paper and keep it quiet under the tree when the bell rang for the start of the real attraction of the evening: a presentation of David Dunlop’s latest musical drama, The Hiring Fair.
Ye Olde Time Sweet Shop
?
A thrust stage concealed the small, but highly skilled group of musicians, led by David Dunlop himself. From them emanated haunting Irish melodies with the combination of the violin, accordion, pipes and whistles creating an eerie atmosphere and setting the scene as an image of a lone colleen appeared on the cyclorama screen, walking along a Donegal road carrying her bundle of possessions. The opening melody, ‘Mist on the Moor’, written by the talented Michaela Hamlin, accompanied young Sally Rogers as she left her home town of Gweedore to seek work in Co Tyrone. Against the imposing backdrop of Mount Errigal, Sally was joined by her younger sister, Moya, and their friend, Eileen Boyle. As they disappeared from the screen, they came walking through the hall, up the ramp and onto the thrust stage where they found themselves at the May Hiring Fair. Member of the cast and chorus thronged the main stage and sang a raucous welcome, ‘Are you going to the Fair?’ As farmers and their wives asked the bewildered girls for references one remarked, “You’ll never get hired.” The clamour and bustle of this scene created a wonderful visual image of the motley collection of humanity which buys and sells in a single day. Humour was provided by the veteran comic actor, Mr Dallas, who appeared as Tinker Tam, held together by builder’s twine and brandishing a bottle of ‘mother’s milk’. Tinker Tam announced that he was either living or “a very thirsty corpse”. He sang a song about a girl from Ballybeg with a wooden leg who, “could have talked for Ireland but talked herself to death”.
The best farmer in Tyrone, Matthew Henderson, played by Ryan Crown whose imposing presence commanded the stage, took an interest in the beautiful but innocent Sally. She was sensitively played by natural actress, Heather Scott, who was portraying her great grandmother’s real life experience at the Hiring Fair. Together these gifted young actors formed a believable but sad friendship, which was finally destroyed by division and fear.
Sally and Moya were employed on neighbouring farms owned by the Hendersons and the Gallaghers. The stage was bare of stage furnishings but these were carried on as required. A simple mattress on the floor transformed the space into a bedroom and tables and chairs represented the living quarters on the farms, with images of cottage interiors and exteriors appearing behind them. This non-naturalistic style of theatre allowed the focus to be on the acting and the cast rose to the challenge, creating believable characters and drawing the audience into their relationships. The space also allowed room for the exciting and impressive Irish dancers who bewitched us with their speed and pounding rhythms. Sally was welcomed by Matthew’s younger sisters, Millie and Jane, played convincingly by Rachel and Laura Gleeson, two delightful and capable actresses who created some lovely memorable moments.
The Gallagher family embraced Moya, played by Charmaine Doran. Moya did not have much English and she sang a beautiful traditional Irish song, ‘Dun do shuile’, powerfully lilting her longing for the hills of Donegal. During this song, a dancer on the main stage gave powerful visual expression to the song’s sentiments and mirrored the movements of the homesick Moya as she lay down to sleep. Meanwhile Sally and Matthew flirted together as they gathered “spuds” and the audience was witnessing the fragile beginnings of a romance.
However, this was Ireland at a time of upheaval and change. There were reports in the newspapers of the North of Ireland being divided, “like a loaf of bread”. In a poignant scene Sally and Matthew were separated by the cross-section of a bedroom wall. As each voiced their love for the other, the audience realised that more than a wall came between them. Sally was from Irish-speaking Catholic Donegal, while the Hendersons were of stolid Presbyterian stock who shunned “work” on the Sabbath, apart from doing the milking and making the dinner. Sally sang soulfully of the separations of religion and class.
In spite of these barriers, the Henderson and Gallagher families were bound together by ties of history and love. They were all living in the shadow of the Great War and its slaughter of young Irishmen, from both sides. As the orchestra sounded a single note, footage of WW1 was flashed onto the screen while French dancers, dressed in black with gothic make-up and hands gnarled in pain and anguish, writhed and twisted in synchronised movement to depict the horror of death at the Front. With them appeared John Gallagher and the young James Henderson, reaching out to one another in friendship and solidarity, but wrenched apart by the command to go over the top. In an act of self-sacrifice, James Henderson prevented his friend from facing the assault and took the full force of the enemy attack himself, against a backdrop of a blood red sky. The macabre dancers cradled James’ body and laid him on the stage where John pledged himself to take care of Eliza Henderson and her family. As the last post sounded, the two men were left alone in a powerful and moving moment of theatre, beautifully choreographed and performed.
The Trench Dance
The sombre mood was relieved by Tinker Tam who was more than able for the pompous clergymen, unable to explain or prevent the division of the land. Tam declared that he wouldn’t want to turn and become a Presbyterian because, “They would take the mickey out of me!” He told a tale of a woman whose house would be split in half by the proposed border with her kitchen in the south, her parlour in the north and her bedroom in no man’s land!
A still from the Barn-dance scene
A ceili brought the first act to a close. This was a colourful scene involving all of the cast and chorus and depicting the energy and vibrancy of a local dance, with Tinker Tam a dab hand at the squeeze box. Again the choreography was excellent and the pleasure of the young actors evident as they took their partners by the hand. However, Matthew was unable to confess his love for Sally when, bound by centuries of prejudice and fear, he refused to dance with her. Later Matthew explained that Sally had forgotten her place. There was a dramatic moment of note when Sally and Matthew exchanged a lingering look, loaded with longing and hurt. In it was contained all the confusion and futility of division. This was powerful acting by Heather and Ryan and the breakdown of their burgeoning love left the audience wondering during the interval.
The handsome young Joe Gallagher, ably depicted by Gareth Hynds, stepped up to the mark and rescued the bewildered Sally at the ceili and had no problem taking her to see a Gaelic match on the Sabbath. On their return to the farm they came upon Matthew repairing the fence following a cattle invasion. Joe and Matthew argued and the audience could see change threatening strong relationships.
A sub-plot emerged with the arrival of the Henderson’s cousin, Victoria, and her English fiancé, Stanley. This stereotypical Brit was played to great effect and with a secure RP accent by Mark Nicholl. Kitted out in English cricket gear and threatening to strike a blow for the Black and Tans against the IRA, he faced up to a threat from Kevin Sweeny, the rejected republican. For an anxious few moments we believed that Joe had been shot instead but he revived and Stan “the hero” made his escape. The friends were reunited and Matthew gave Sally and Joe his blessing.
A still from 'The Hiring Fair'
In a fabulous finale, John Gallagher arrived with the Christmas mummers, including baby Jesus in the arms of his mother Mary, who sang beautifully. This harmonious scene was dramatically interrupted by the IRA gang threatening to shoot into the crowd but they were excluded as the families and friends, Catholic and Protestant, North and South chose kinship over killing and sang ‘Come hear my story’. Tam the Tinker asked the question for all of us,
“Will the baby smile on me, welcome me and give me peace?”
This was an impressive and inclusive production. From the little boy with his hat falling down over his eyes on the front row of the chorus to the principal actors, everyone deserved praise. A large number of participants had the opportunity to take to the boards to depict a time in our history when boundaries were drawn and seeds of dissension were sown. They were also able to explore prejudice and discover that good neighbours don’t need fences, that love can conquer fear and that difference does not mean division.
The main parts were played by distinguished actors, but mention should also be made of Alix Cooper as Eileen and Anna McFarland as Bess who also created lovable characters. Thanks to a committed and highly talented cast who brought this wonderful story to life. Congratulations to director, Janet Loughery, and her magnificent team of staff and pupils who produced the show and created the wonderful displays of life in the 1920s. This production was an inter-schools effort and was testimony to the harmonious relationship between St Mary’s and Limavady High.
David Dunlop is now a legend, both in Limavady and across the border in his beloved Donegal. If this is indeed his last show, the legacy will live on in the transformed lives of decades of children to whom he has taught the importance of making peace and becoming a new future in Ireland.
May I speak on behalf of all the audiences and say with Lizzie Scott that this Christmas we were served a veritable dramatic feast and were “rightly done for”.
R Morrison
