Tales of newcomers to an area getting involved in local clubs are frequent in rural Ireland, but Clonakilty is providing a new slant on a familiar theme with the participation of two asylum-seekers in the local musical group's production of Me And My Girl.
Nigerians Adebowale Ibitoye (28) and Gani Fasasi (30) were among a group of 90 asylum-seekers who arrived in the west Cork town in January, where they've been made welcome by the Clonakilty Lodge manager, Roy Maguire, and his staff, as well as by a local asylum-seeker support group.
Among those involved in Clonakilty Friends of Asylum-Seekers is a local Sinn Fein UDC member, Mr Cionnaith O Suilleabhain, who invited Adebowale and Gani and some other asylum-seekers to join the Clonakilty Singing Club in February for rehearsals for a production of the romantic musical comedy.
Adebowale, or Debo as he is known, admits that he had no previous experience of acting or performing on stage but really enjoyed his appearance as Charles the butler in Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose's musical comedy about a Cockney turning up to claim his aristocratic inheritance.
"I've enjoyed it, but it's been hard work. We've been preparing for the last four months, and for the last two months we're been rehearsing for four and five hours two or three nights a week," said Debo, who worked as a company secretary before he fled Nigeria because of social unrest.
"I'm happy to be involved in something like this with the community. It's important for me to be able to contribute to a community activity," added Debo, who is still waiting to have his application for refugee status assessed after being interviewed by Department of Justice officials.
Gani said: "Being in the musical is helping to break down barriers". People came up to him in the street and told him how much they enjoyed the show, "and that's good," said Gani who, like Debo, is awaiting a decision on his application.
While both Gani and Debo express their appreciation to Roy and Margaret Maguire and their staff at Clonakilty Lodge and the Clonakilty Friends of Asylum-Seekers for making them feel at home, both say they miss the opportunity to work.
"I'm a maths teacher and would love to teach mathematics. If anyone has a mathematical problem I could help them," said Gani, who worked for Guinness plc in Nigeria for a year after graduating from Lagos State University and before working as a teacher.
Debo said the biggest problem they faced was the boredom. "It's difficult not being able to work. The day passes but it is very long. I keep myself busy. I go to the library a lot and I write down my thoughts. I write poems and short stories but I'd like to finish my education, do psychology at university." According to Cionnaith O Suilleabhain, the group has generally been well received in Clonakilty, though the arrival of some asylum-seekers from outside the area to sell the Big Issues has led to what some locals feel is an excessive number selling the magazine in the streets of the town.
"Overall the reception here has been fairly good. Some people have spoken to me about the asylum-seekers living in good accommodation while they're waiting on the council housing list for a house, but my answer to that is these people don't want to be in hostels, they want to go and work for themselves."