Time flies when you’re having fun..

July 9, 2014

WOW, it is really hard to believe that we have finished the second week of the Foyle company being in Dublin. They have got to be up there with the two fastest weeks of my life. I don’t know what it is about Dublin. Is it because it is always busy with things going? Is it because the streets in general are busy all the time that the time just fly’s past without you even realising?

This week we had lots of people we know in to watch the show. Last summer I done some volunteer work for a local NGO called Development Perspectives. It believes in development through education. I attended workshops on three weekends over the course of a few months and then this time last year I was in Tanzania, Africa for stage three of the programme. I got a surprise on Wednesday when I got a message from one of my leaders from the programme to say that she would be in the audience along with another leader that had been with me and they had brought another group along called Barefeet.

Barefeet is an arts and performance group based in Zambia who work with vulnerable children through creative means. They use storytelling, dance,music, acrobatics and drama to facilitate workshops around issues such as HIV/AIDS, climate change, drug/alcohol addiction, gender inequality . They also are having performances in the USA, Ireland and the UK. They had a show in the Smock Alley theatre the other day too but obviously I was on stage myself so I couldn’t go . When I went out front to meet them I got a shock as I didn’t realise there would be so many of them! They were just buzzing and dancing away. Sheila had told me that they had been very tired that day and it was a struggle to get them to do anything, even walk to the show but form the start of the show their eyes lit up and they were just mesmerised .

This week I got to make a quick trip home for my dads 50th birthday party! He didn’t know about it and it was all a big surprise but it turned out to be a great night had by all! ( don’t worry dad I don’t think you are old haha)

Also this week we got to meet the beautiful Juliette May, daughter to Lead Dancer and Dance Captain and his wife Niamh O’Connor who is our Irish Dance Director, they brought her into the green room and we all fell in love with her. She is just so tiny and Niamh and Padraic are as proud as punch! She was as good as gold.

Everyone loves a day off and this weeks day off proved to be a very successful one. A few of the Irish troupe made there way down to Orlagh’s house in Wicklow. Her mam made a load of curry and they spent time chilling out in her cabin chatting, watching films and she even has a hot tub so everyone made use of that opportunity!! The next day the weather was beautiful so everyone went for a wander down the town to walk along the pier and grab a coffee.

Fingers crossed for more good weather this week as I’m hoping to explore more sights of Dublin and go and check out what people travel from all over the world to see. Watch this space!!