My life with Martin O'Donoghue: how play is transforming Cork City, one giant game at a time

From pop-up playgrounds to boardroom workshops, Martin O'Donoghue is using play to connect people and transform Cork spaces

Martin O'Donoghue of Let's Play! Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Not many adults can say they get paid to play their favourite childhood games but I’m lucky enough to be doing just that as a result of my rather unconventional career path.

Almost every kid has enjoyed playing and make-believe but I’ve seen first-hand the benefits they can have for adults. Growing up, I had no idea I would one day be getting paid to play. When I tell the children at my workshops, they are often surprised to learn this too.

My role as a play strategist and head of play development for Let’s Play Cork gives me the opportunity to bring people together in Cork City, strengthening connections through games like life-sized Connect Four and Giant Jenga. Not only does this make people happy but it brightens up streets that might otherwise remain grey and unloved. People love games like tug of war and snakes and ladders because it’s literally impossible to be stressed while playing.

We place games in parks and plazas like Emmett Place and Bishop Lucey Park and invite people to come and play for free. It’s for all ages, from very young to old. Almost any space can be transformed into a temporary playground.

We held an event last year in the underpass in Blackpool, which is a very unloved space. The energy and vibe completely changed from this dull, dark space into something really magical. Adults are often left questioning what the catch is. They are wondering if they have to pay for the experience and are taken aback to discover it’s free. People struggle to figure out what it’s all about but it’s really quite simple. We want to make our city more enjoyable and create opportunities for people to get to know each other. I want to share the city with them in a way that’s really different.

Martin O'Donoghue: 'When you’re playing, your real persona emerges and enables you to be fully engaged. It’s a really mindful perspective.' Picture: Larry Cummins

My work is not restricted to the city. I also introduce my play equipment into boardrooms for workshops with senior management teams. People are often stressed and so burnt out by responsibilities and deadlines that they have forgotten how to play. This means they get to have real experiences with the people they work with every day. When you’re playing, your real persona emerges and enables you to be fully engaged. It’s a really mindful perspective.

One of my favourite people to collaborate with is Cormac Mohally, who runs Pitchd Productions with his wife Noelle O’Regan. I’m currently preparing to take part in the UpDown Circus Festival this September. The week-long event, which combines contemporary circus with street performance, is something that I’m very proud to be a part of.

Cormac introduced me to accessible juggling. We try to make the play events as accessible as possible by incorporating a quiet space for people who are maybe that bit more neurodiverse. I really like Cormac’s accessible juggling, so I asked him to conduct a workshop with my play leaders on that topic. You might have more active play in one area and reflective play in the other. We now have the juggle boards too, so both of us are learning from each other.

Part of our offering for UpDown Circus last year involved us bringing our play equipment to the Coal Quay in Cork City and letting people play with the equipment in between shows. This encourages people to stick around in between shows while also allowing them to feel like they are part of the event. Meanwhile, the space has been completely transformed just by people playing in it. People love to play but it’s rare that adults, in particular, are given the opportunity. Contemporary circus is a natural fit for us because street performers will often leave out props like hula hoops and flower sticks for people to play with. Our goal is to spread infectious joy.

Since we started out, there have been pop-up playgrounds all over Cork City. We work together to transform spaces in a way that opens people’s minds and experiences. Instead of the location being a commute from A to B, it becomes a meeting place and space to play. It becomes a beacon for the children, and the adults often follow. Once people see skittles, hula hoops, and a game of tug of war, they immediately congregate. Cork City Council has put me in some weird and wonderful places but the challenge has always been exciting. This is a real ice-breaker for people who have never met before and offers common ground for everybody, regardless of their age, background, or culture.

Cork City was inspired by the Playful Paradigm initiative, which was set up in Udine, Italy, in the early 2000s. It subsequently became part of an EU-wide strategy in 2017 that saw the framework introduced into cities like Cork.

• The public is invited to participate in Let’s Play activities between performances at this year’s UpDown Circus Festival on Friday, September 4, on Cornmarket St and Sunday, 6, on Douglas St. For the full list of events see updowncircusfestival.ie