The most important of Irish Holidays is almost here! Tomorrow is Nollaig na mBan! Unlike last year, we might even get to celebrate with other women IRL, and not just Zoom ghosts.
Nollaig na mBan is the day when Irish women own (and complete) Christmas. In Ireland, on this day, women would traditionally gather to feast and drink -and the men would take over the housework, and serve them food and beverages (an extraordinary reversal back in the day…). In modern Ireland, it’s simply a great excuse to celebrate all the female friendships in your life and have proper girlie knees-up. I love this holiday and think we should export it like we did St. Patrick’s Day and Hallowe’en. It’s too good to keep to ourselves. Who is up for spreading some Nollaig na mBan joy tomorrow? (Pronounced NUH-lig n’MON)
From Ireland, Sue Healy is Literary Manager at the Finborough Theatre, London, a full-time Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Lincoln. Her book on theatre literary management is published by Routledge, December 2022.
Sue is an award-winning writer for stage, TV, and prose writer.
TV
Her current project, a 6x60minute TV series, is under option. She is under commission with Lone Wolf Media, producers behind PBS’ “Mercy Street”, to co-write the pilot and treatment for a six-part TV series.
Stage
Her most recent stage-play, Imaginationship (2018), enjoyed a sold out, extended run at the Finborough and later showed at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Her previous stage productions include Cow (Etcetera Theatre, 2017) and Brazen (King’s Head Theatre, 2016), funded by Arts Council England. Sue’s short plays have been performed at the Criterion (Criterion New Writing Showcase), Arcola (The Miniaturists) and Hackney Attic (Fizzy Sherbet Shorts).
Radio
Her radio work includes nine plays broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (Opening Lines winner), WLRfm and KCLR96fm.
Prose
Sue has won The Molly Keane Award, HISSAC Prize, Escalator Award, Meridian Prize and has been published in nine literary journals and anthologies including: The Moth, Flight, Tainted Innocence, New Writer, Duality, HISSAC, New European Writers. She has been writer-in-residence on Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, and at the Heinrich Boll Cottage on Achill Island. She has also benefitted from annual artist residencies at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, and at Ginestrelle, Assisi in Italy.
An academic with a PhD in modern theatre history, specifically the Royal Court Theatre, Sue has presented her research internationally. She spent eleven years in Budapest, editing Hungary A.M. She has a PhD in modern theatre history (Royal Court Theatre) and is a UEA Creative Writing MA alumnus.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 at 14:34 and posted in Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
January 5th, 2022 at 17:37
Great Christmas picture – surely next years Christmas card!!