All eight of my BAI funded Irish radio plays are now available on podcast (click on the links on the right hand side of this page).
With particular thanks to Jim Nolan the director and Eugene Sully, the genius editor.
We had enormous fun and joy making them, I hope you enjoy listening to them!
Strongbow’s Clock podcast on WLRfm (broadcast Oct. 27th).
Set in Brennan’s Bar, a peculiar pub on Waterford’s O’Connell street, Strongbow’s Clock is a comic ghost story concerning a pair of barflies, an immigrant Hungarian barman and the events that ensue when the pub’s clock stops working and a mysterious young woman is swept in the pub door.
Nick and Angela have met at the same time in Brennan’s Bar every evening, for years. They are served by Gabor, a Hungarian who has become ‘more Irish than the Irish themselves’, and who is a keen, if confused orator of Irish history. On this particular evening however, the antics of a Hallowe’en circus in town delays both Nick and Angela’s arrival and interrupts Gabor’s daily ceremony of winding the grandfather clock. The regular flow of events is thus unsettled, jovial banter turns nasty and the exposure of a dark secret looms. Then, the evening takes a further surreal turn with the arrival of a dazed young woman from Ferrybank…
Strongbow’s Clock is a comic ghost story. It is also a study of the consequences when unrequited love is toyed with carelessly, and the violence such passions can stir.
Strongbow’s Clock is directed by acclaimed playwright Jim Nolan and stars leading Irish talent Michael Power, Jenni Ledwell, Ema Lemon and Nick Kavanagh. Strongbow’s Clock was my fourth radio drama and followed Cow, The Daffodil and Cake, also directed by Jim Nolan. My radio work since includes: The Angel of Trafadden, Shellakybooky, The Cat in the Box and Mussels.
Strongbow’s Clock was made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the television license fee.
It’s spring, new beginnings, daffodils. In honour of the season that’s in it, I’m reposting a podcast of my 2013 radio drama ‘The Daffodil’.
Set on the fictional Irish island of Trafadden, The Daffodil tells the tale of the relationship between Eurovision wannabe ‘Liam Egan’ and Eurovision hasbeen ‘Banba’, both mired in denial for different reasons.
Starring Jenni Ledwell and Michael Power and directed by Jim Nolan.
You can listen to the podcast here
A number of people have asked me about listening to podcasts of my radio dramas. Six of them are available at the moment, hosted by the radio stations that first broadcast them.. The urls for the podcasts are listed in the column on the right hand side of this page. Please copy and paste the url and it should bring you to the relevant podcast. Two more, The Cat in the Box, and The Blue King of Trafadden will follow shortly.
I hope you enjoy them…
Siobhan, a 38 year old Dublin teacher disenchanted with her dull existence in Portmarnock Primary School opts to chase Internet fame as a vlogger. In this pursuit, she travels to Trafadden Island, Co. Waterford, to vlog the wake of Fabiola, a woman of ill-repute who has apparently died twice. However, Trafadden island’s Mayor Daly is keen to have her focus on his legacy rather than the antics of the rougher elements of the local population. Mayor Daly’s attitude and behaviour at the wake enrages Fabiola’s corpse, chaos ensues and the fable takes a surprising turn…
The Angel of Trafadden is directed by Jim Nolan (director and writer-in-residence at Garter Lane Arts Centre) and stars Michael Power (winner of the Portsmouth International Film Festival Best Actor Award), Jenni Ledwell (Druid, Blue Raincoat, Passion Machine, Red Kettle) and Clodagh Power (Red Kettle, Theatre Royal).
Written and produced by Sue Healy, The Angel of Trafadden was made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the television licence fee.PODCAST HERE
You don’t have to be Irish to be a great writer, but it helps. An oft debated point is the essential ingredient that has given the Irish the edge re the written word ever since the Book of Kells. There are many takes on the matter. Some say it’s because although most Irish writers write in English, they use the syntax, structure and playfulness of the Irish language which gives a mastery and an unusual manner of wielding English that results in, well, pure poetry.
Others suggest it is our tradition of story telling, living on in our sizzling and stinging pub banter. Some put it down to our sad history, allowing for a depth and pain to infuse our written word.
However, I’m with the crowd that says its simply because we’re a race of geniuses. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Go mbeirimid beo ar an am seo arís…
Famous Irish writers: Sebastian Barry, Samuel Beckett, Elizabeth Bowen, John Banville, Brendan Behan, Dion Boucicault, Roddy Doyle, Emma Donoghue, Maria Edgeworth, Brian Friel, Oliver Goldsmith, Neil Jordan, John B. Keane, Colum McCann, John McGahern, Iris Murdoch, C.S. Lewis, Edna O’Brien, Jennifer Johnston, Iris Murdoch, James Joyce, Patrick Kavanagh, Molly Keane, Hugh Leonard, Martin McDonagh, Frank McGuinness, Sean O’Casey, Joseph O’Connor, George Bernard Shaw, John Millington Synge, Colm Toibin, Oscar Wilde, WB Yates, Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift… to name but a few.
I’ve finally uploaded my debut radio play, ‘Cow’ to YouTube. I’d love you to have a listen…
Storyline: Agi Kovacs, a beautiful Hungarian woman, arrives on Clearys’ farm, Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, to work as a mushroom picker. The Clearys’ already strained, childless marriage appears under further threat by her presence, however an unlikely friendship develops between Marie Cleary and Agi, leading both women to a new world view.
I wrote and produced the play which was directed by Jim Nolan and featured Michael Power (Game of Thrones), Madeleine Brolly and Geraldine Crowley,
‘Cow’ was made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) for broadcast on KCLR 96fm in April 2013.
Just got news that my KCLR 96fm radio drama series The Daffodil has been given the funding nod by Broadcasting Authority of Ireland – should be hitting the studio in October. Oh yeah!
Some have asked if a ‘catch up’ version of ‘Cow’ will be available on the KCLR96fm website. Apparently, yes. KCLR are currently constructing a ‘listening room’ for documentaries and dramas and I’ll let you all know once its up and running – in the meantime, the stations forwarded some lovely feedback this morning – so, I’ve just gotta boast, I mean share…:
“thank you so much for this sensitive, witty, biting and ultimately balanced dialogue between the sexes… Sue Healy’s ‘Cow’ and the women and men bringing into being over the ether were wonderful…especially the wife who paused to say …’calving..’ [given her own delicate situation vis a vis ivf..] when her lovely lump of a man wriggles out of the Wednesday salmon-fest supper to ease him into the bedroom..[lovely touch that] by saying that the heifer is tail up and the wife mumbles the dread-laden word…’calving’…which of course she is not…oh how painful and sweet…i cried …oh God yes i did big tear drops onto my white plate of toast…beautifully realised…this is a play of magnitude, significance, humanity and…redemption… you lucky lucky people…what a fantastic flower you planted, tended, nurtured and ultimately stood backand admired…”
Doesn’t get better than that!
Writing Competitions with a February/March deadline:
Let spring in...
Right, that’s January out of the way – a month where one recovers from Christmas. In fact, I’ve always found it a rather silly month in which to make plans and resolutions, as one doesn’t feel like doing much when it’s brass monkeys outside. February, however, is a different matter. In Ireland, February 1st, St. Bridget’s Day, is the first of spring. There’s not a helluva lot of differnce between winter and spring (or indeed summer) in Ireland – but it is the concept that is important. On February 1st, I get moving again.
And, if I’m moving, I’ve got to enter some comps. So, let’s have a look at competitions with deadlines running up until the end of March. You’ll notice that many of these are Irish competitions, this is partly because, obviously, I’m Irish and these are the comps I know of, but also because the short story and story telling is held in such esteem in Ireland, it’s got to have more writing contests per square foot than any other district of the universe. However, if you have information regarding prizes, contests or awards with a deadline before March 31st, running in your country – please feel free to add/comment.
Finally, please note that I’m merely collating information posted elsewhere on the Internet. I am not responsible for or affiliated with any of these competitions and have no more information than that on the website listed. Please do not send your entries to me and please do not write to ask about the specifics of individual contests. I won’t know. It’s best to go to the website address provided and inquire there.
And good luck!!!
Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook Short Story Competition
Prize: £500 plus a place on an Arvon course
Entry Fee: n/a
Deadline: February 14th 2012.
Website: http://www.writersandartists.co.uk
Irish Post/Stena Line Writing Competition
Prize: £500 & free travel to Listowel Writers’ Festival in Co. Kerry.
Entry Fee: £n/a
Deadline: 2nd March 2012
Website: http://www.irishpost.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100
NOTE: Only open to Irish/Irish descent resident in Britain (ie the theme concerns the Irish immigrant experience in the UK).
The Bryan MacMahon Short Story Competition
Prize: €2,000
Entry Fee: €10.00
Deadline: 2nd March 2012
Website: http://writersweek.ie/the-bryan-mcmahon-short-story-competition
The Writers’ Week Originals Competition
Prize: €750
Entry Fee: €10.00
Deadline: 2nd March 2012
Website: http://writersweek.ie/writers-week-originals-competition
The Eamon Keane Full Length Play Competition
Prize: €500
Entry Fee: €20.00
Deadline: 2nd March 2012
Website: http://writersweek.ie/eamon-keane-full-length-play
Twisted Stringybark Short Story Award 2012
Prize: $300 AUS plus publication
Entry Fee: $9.75 AUS
Deadline: 4th March 2012
Website: http://www.stringybarkstories.net/The_Stringybark_Short_Story_Award
Prize: €500
Entry Fee: €10
Deadline: 5th March 2012
Website: http://www.cuirt.ie/component/content/article/3-newsflash/70-cuirt-new-writing-prize-2012
Limnisa / Bluethumbnail SHORT STORY Competition
Prize: One week full board writers’ retreat at LIMNISA
Entry Fee: £6
Deadline: March 15th, 2012
Website: http://www.bluethumbnail.com/Author/competitionpage.html
Mslexia 2012 Women’s Short Story Competiton
Prize: £2,000
Entry Fee: £10
Deadline: 19th March 2012
Website: http://mslexia.co.uk
Molly Keane Memorial Creative Writing Award (I won this last year!)
Prize: €500
Entry Fee: n/a
Deadline: 26th March 2012
Website: http://www.mollykeanewritersretreats.com/2012writingaward.htm
PJ O’Connor Radio Drama Awards
Prize: Professional production of the best three 40-minute plays with €5,000 to Winner
Entry Fee: n/a
Deadline: 30th March 2012
Website: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/pjoconnorawards/
The Bristol Short Story Prize
Prize: £1,000
Entry Fee: £7
Deadline: March 31st 2012.
Website: http://www.bristolprize.co.uk
Plymouth University’s Short Fiction Competition
Prize: £500
Entry Fee: £10
Deadline: March 31st 2012.
Website: http://www.shortfictionjournal.co.uk/
The Moth Short Story Prize
Prize: €1,000
Entry Fee: €8
Deadline: March 31st 2012.
Website: http://www.themothmagazine.com
The Short Fiction Journal Prize
Prize: £500 plus publication
Entry Fee: £10
Deadline: March 31st 2012.
Website: http://www.shortfictionjournal.co.uk/competition.html
And finally… not a competition per se, but a chance to have your work published in leading literary magazine. The Stinging Fly are accepting submissions up until March 31st: http://www.stingingfly.org/about-us/submission-guidelines
suehealy 