Part of the A Sense of Memory project
2012 to 2013
Written by Guy Le Jeune
Directed by Sean Donegan
In May 2012 An Grianán started the Sense of Memory project. Our facilitators set out to travel along the routes of the railways of Donegal, Derry and Tyrone, working with groups of older people who lived and worked beside the tracks that stretched across the North West.
Through a series of reminiscence sessions memories of times gone by were collected: stories of the railways, the mills, the farms and factories; stories of the characters, of work and play, of smuggling and hawkers; stories of love and loss, joy and sadness. They are stories that unite us and speak of our shared experiences, no matter where we make our home.
From these stories came a new play, called On the Camel’s Hump, which aimed to give a flavour of those memories and stories. Written by Guy Le Jeune, directed by Sean Donegan and featuring performers Andrew Galvin, Fionn Robinson, Aoife Toner and Susie Lamb, with costumes and design by Joanne Quigley. On the Camel’s Hump is a joyous celebration of the stories heard along the railway routes. It is full of fun, music and laughter.
The show toured community venues in the border counties including public performances in Letterkenny, Ballybofey, Strabane and Donegal Town as well as special performances for those community groups which took part in the reminiscence sessions.
In addition to the play, there was also an exhibition to accompany the project which ran at An Grianán Theatre in Spring 2013. Curated by Kate Brown, the exhibition featured recollections from some of the workshop participants as well as examples of furniture, music, vintage hats and other artefacts from the early tomid twentienth century.
A Sense of Memory was produced by An Grianán Theatre, in association with Reminiscence Network Northern Ireland, The Alley Theatre, Strabane and Voice of Older People Donegal and was part-financed by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund through the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by Donegal County Council.
Tour Dates 2013
Tues 16 April An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny 2pm & 8pm – Public show
Wed 17 April An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny 8pm – Public Show
Mon 22 April Loreto School, Milford 10.15am (Invited audience only)
Tue 23 April Pobalscoil Cloich Cheann Fhaola, Falcarragh 2pm (Invited audience only)
Tue 23 April An tSean Bheairic, Falcarragh 8pm – Public Show
Wed 24 April St Johnston Family Resource Centre, St Johnston 11.15am (Invited audience only)
Thu 25 April Ionad Naomh Padraig Dore, Gweedore 8pm – Public Show
Fri 26 April Volt House, Raphoe 11.15am (Invited audience only)
Mon 29 April St Conal’s Hospital, Letterkenny 7pm (Invited audience only)
Tue 30 April Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny. HSE group 12pm (Invited audience only)
Wed 1 May Milford Nursing Home 7pm (Invited audience only)
Thu 2 May Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Bealtaine Festival 2pm and 7pm – Public Shows
Sat 4 May Cushendun Big Arts Weekend 8pm – Public Show
Wed 8 May Sion Mills Community Association 7pm – Public Show
Fri 10 May Bessie Bell Court, Newtownstewart 7pm (Invited audience only)
Mon 13 May Balor Theatre, Ballybofey 7pm – Public Show
Thu 16 May The Alley Theatre, Strabane 2pm – Public Show
Fri 17 May St Eugene’s Hall, Moville 8pm – Public Show
Mon 20 May Raphoe Royal and Prior School 2pm (Invited audience only)
Fri 24 May Lifford Hospital 11am (Invited audience only)
Sat 25 May Donegal Railway Museum 3pm and 6pm – Public Shows
