Briery Gap in Macroom: a small town theatre with big plans
Pat Carey: ‘From a programming point of view, it’s all about trying to find a balance.’ Picture: Olivia Walsh
Running a theatre in small town County Cork has its challenges but the director of the Briery Gap in Macroom, Pat Carey, is enthusiastic about its geographical reach. Speaking after the recent launch of the venue’s Autumn/Winter season, Carey points out that the state-of-the-art cultural hub (rebuilt and reopened in 2024 following a fire) is between Cork and Killarney and attracts audiences from West Cork and also from Millstreet. Carey reckons the audience size stretches to fifty thousand.
“From a programming perspective, it’s about trying to find a balance,” says Carey who has been in his role for six months, having worked with festivals and venues around the country, including a stint in marketing at the Cork Opera House where his wife, Eibhlín Gleeson is CE and artistic director.
At the Briery Gap, which started life as a cinema in 1953 until 1987, Carey says that from a programming perspective, it’s all about finding a balance. The handsome building, with lots of glass frontage and a 217-seater theatre that is also used as a cinema, lends itself to a variety of cultural activities. The town’s library is also located in the building, leading to collaborations.
“We work with the library on events if they need more space, whether that’s writing circles or workshops. It’s a really good fit. Upstairs we have the bar area which is a multi-use space.” Following the devastating fire that destroyed the building in 2016, construction began in 2022 at a cost of €9m. Cork County Council is the main funder.
“It’s top spec in terms of all the equipment we have. All the artists that visit us are at pains to stress how fantastic a space it is from a performing aspect.” The Briery Gap has Arts Council project funding for the development of a new Conal Creedon piece of work. That money was awarded before Carey joined the venue. “We’re figuring out the next step with regard to actually putting it on. It’s still in progress.” It must strike a fond note for Creedon given that his family origins are in Inchigeelagh, near Macroom.
Carey says that despite the fact that the Briery Gap has a long history in Macroom and surrounding areas, the venue is to a certain degree “playing catch-up” when it comes to developing new work.
“That’s my ambition. Given that we only reopened in 2024, work takes a while to develop. We’ve had great conversations with Graffiti Theatre Company and the Cork Arts Theatre.” A Briery Gap-produced show, Murder at Shandy Hall, toured the country in 2016, starring Patrick Bergin. Carey cites this as an example of a local show that turned into a national hit. The Dowry by Derry Cotter was performed for a night at the Briery Gap on the back of a very successful run in Cork.
“We didn’t have the space to keep it going at that time but it’s coming back in October. One of the things I really learned over the last six months is that Macroom audiences and those in the nearby region love theatre. They have theatre groups, mainly amateur drama, of outstanding quality. I am also looking at us being a venue for touring drama groups. To that end, I’m trying to develop relationships with theatres up and down the country.” Carey is also developing niche music genres such as jazz and contemporary traditional music to be performed at the venue.
- For full programme details, visit www.brierygap.ie.
- There’s comedy with Anne Gildea’s show, Further Adventures in Womaning, a funny take on modern life on September 25.
- Singer/songwriter Freddie White will perform on October 2.
- Comedian Bernard O’Shea finds “the funny” in family life and everyday chaos on October 3.
- Wildlife sound recordist Seán Ronayne will be in conversation about the hidden sounds of nature on October 9.
- Lee Side Drama Group brings The Dowry back to the Briery Gap. This is a story of the changing face of rural Ireland on October 15 & 16.
- Hermitage Green, with its modern takes on Irish roots, will be in concert on October 23.
- John B Keane’s iconic play about land and ambition, The Field, will be performed on November 7.
- Singer/songwriter and actor, Maria Doyle-Kennedy, will perform songs and soulful storytelling on November 13.
- Folk music innovators Kila will perform on November 14.
- John Spillane will perform his melodic songs with a strong Cork flavour on November 21.
- The Hothouse Flowers will perform on February 26.
- The Christmas Panto, Snow White, will bring its magic to the venue on December 11-13 and 18-20.
