Noise of motor workshop ‘a threat to theatre’

A NOISY motor workshop is threatening the future of professional theatre in Limerick, a top actor and a leading producer warned yesterday.

Shows at the Belltable Arts Centre are frequently disrupted by noise coming from a motor workshop located in a lane at the rear of the theatre.

Liam O’Brien, who starred in the television soap Emmerdale, said he had now been present at seven shows which have been disrupted by noise from the workshop run by mechanic Mick Daly.

O’Brien, who played the role of a clergyman in Emmerdale, attended a weekend performance of Love, Peace and Robbery at the newly renovated theatre.

He said: “Like others in the audience I could not hear the actors on stage at times, due to the noise of an angle grinder and revving car engines.”

That noise came from Mick Daly’s small garage at Daly’s Lane, at the rear of the theatre where Mr Daly works at night repairing cars.

Last November, his nocturnal regime threw the opening night of the revamped Belltable into chaos and members of the audience went out to plead with him to halt his work to allow the performance to continue.

Mr Daly has been in dispute over issues which arose during the Belltable renovations.

But for actor Liam O’Brien it is time to cry halt. He said: “Personally I would have walked off stage and advised the audience to request a refund.”

Mr Daly claims the work on renovating the Belltable has adversely affected his repair shop business.

He said: “I’m not doing anything I haven’t done over the past 40 years. It’s not a funeral parlour I’m running.”

Zeb Moore, who produced Love, Peace and Robbery, said he was disappointed by the disruptive noise. “I think if other professional theatre companies get wind this is going to be an ongoing situation, they’ll consider looking at a different venue.”