Mary McEvoy: Dearth of decent roles for women

Mary McEvoy, who stars alongside Jon Kenny in John B Keane’s play, The Matchmaker, is appreciative of the Kerry playwright’s strong roles for women.

McEvoy is an independent woman herself who is combining rehearsing for the play with lambing season on her farm in Westmeath. She has 60 ewes. The sheep keep her “grounded.” The acting is an outlet for her creativity. She is juggling both jobs, organising people to deliver the lambs when she is unable to do so.

Farming seems like an appropriate job for the woman best known as Biddy from RTE’s rural soap, Glenroe. “Up until Mick Lally’s death in 2010, we were doing The Matchmaker together. The last time I did the play with Mick was three months before he died. I’ve done it with Des Keogh as well. It’s a great auld show. The more I do it, the more I see in it.”