It was a moved and happy bunch of people who gathered after the premiere of CoisCeim's Back in Town on Tuesday night. Philomena Lynott declared herself "the proudest mother in all the country" and well she might after David Bolger's spectacular dance show inspired by the music and poetry of Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy. Her friends, who included casting agent, Julian Baldwin; honorary family member Smiley Bolger; sculptor Jim Chapman; and drama teacher and former neighbour Chris Morris, were also delighted with the show.
Brian Downey, the Thin Lizzy drummer, also came along to the show, though he arrived late and left early as his wife Lorraine is due to have a baby any day now. Another man at the opening night with a Thin Lizzy connection was composer and musician Trevor Knight who played keyboards on Phil Lynott's solo albums. People from the dance world included Joanna Banks from the College of Dance; the Arts Council's Gaye Tanham and Dance Theatre Ireland's Robert Connor, as well as the director of the Irish Modern Dance Theatre, John Scott.
Fittingly for such a dramatic performance, there were plenty of actors in attendance too: Darragh Kelly, who is also chair of CoisCeim; Gerard Byrne, a long-time supporter of the company; Paul Hickey, Ann Byrne, Arthur Riordan, Ali White and Gerard Murphy.
Veronica Coburn, Raymond Keane and Mikel Murfi of Barabbas; Tom Coghlan of the Project; Rough Magic's Lynne Parker and writer and director Gerry Stembridge also happened along. Film-makers Arthur Lappin and Kate Lennon were there; she is very busy with developing Rough Magic Films.
Annie Ryan who directed Corn Market's award-winning Streetcar is busy at the moment planning a trip with Michael West to New York where they will stage West's A Play With Two Chairs, as well as working on a devised piece for the Fringe in this year's theatre festival. She chatted happily with Conor Brady of The Sofas, who is relaxing after some weeks spent in the recording studios.
David Bolger declared himself happy with the evening, and was looking forward to "dancing for the people of Ennis". Denis Roche was also there for Bolger's performance but also for his sister, Liz Roche's, Dragons And Tonics, for which he, composed and played the music. Liz wasn't able to attend as she is in France participating in the prestigious Europa Danse project, but her sister Jenny Roche was there; not in, the audience but performing in Back In Town. Some mothers do have" em.