Tributes paid to John O'Shea, co-founder of Cork's Everyman Theatre

Everyman Theatre CEOs said John O'Shea’s 'vision, generosity, and belief in the power of theatre' shaped the former Palace Cinema into a theatre at the heart of Cork’s cultural life

The death has been announced of former teacher at Coláiste Chríost Rí and co-founder of the Everyman Theatre in Cork John O'Shea. He is pictured here in 2012 at a book launch. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Tributes are being paid to "an integral figure in the history of Cork theatre" after it was announced that Everyman Theatre co-founder John O'Shea has died at the age of 86.

Born in Cork, the University College Cork (UCC) graduate previously taught at Coláiste Chríost Rí in Turners Cross.

Mr O'Shea co-founded the Everyman Theatre Company alongside Dan Donovan and Seán Ó Tuama in 1963. 

He initially started with the CCYMS/Little Theatre in Castle St before relocating to the Fr Mathew Hall between 1972 and 1987, which was renamed the Everyman Playhouse. 

The Everyman acquired the old Palace Cinema on MacCurtain St and finally reopened it as the Everyman Palace Theatre in 1992.

Mr O’Shea was an accomplished director with productions that included A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt; Saturday, Sunday, Monday by Eduardo De Philippo; The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter; and Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov.

A full house at the Everyman Theatre on MacCurtain St Cork. The thriving venue co-founded by John O'Shea hosts a busy programme of theatre, musicals and panto, as well as providing a venue for Cork Film Festival and Cork Jazz Festival. File picture: Larry Cummins

Everyman chief executives Des Kennedy and Brian Fenton said: "All of us here at The Everyman are deeply saddened by the passing of our founder, John O'Shea.

"The idea of 'The Everyman' itself was John's and, alongside Dan Donovan and Seán Ó Tuama, he amalgamated a number of amateur companies to form the Everyman Theatre Company in the 1960s, eventually buying and transforming the iconic, but fading, Palace Cinema on MacCurtain St, now Cork's beloved Everyman.

"John’s vision, generosity, and belief in the power of theatre shaped this building and The Everyman's place at the heart of Cork’s cultural life. His legacy lives on in every performance, every audience, and every artist who has passed through our doors.

"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."

Then lord mayor Catherine Clancy hosting a reception for the chairman and founding members of the Everyman Theatre on its 50th anniversary in 2014. L-R: Dan Noonan, John O'Shea, Catherine Clancy, Leachlain Ó Catháin, and Brendan Casserly. Another co-founder, Seán Ó Tuama, had died in 2006. 

In a statement, former Everyman Palace Theatre artistic director/CEO Patrick Talbot said: "John O’Shea was an integral figure in the history of Cork theatre. His passion for the stage was inspirational. His co-founding of Everyman Theatre harnessed generations of theatre artists in the city. 

"Thousands of people got their first exposure to classic plays of the world repertoire through Everyman productions. His rich legacy includes the reclaiming of the historic Palace Theatre for live shows. 

He made a hugely significant contribution to the cultural fabric of Cork.

Mr Talbot described his personal connection with the Everyman co-founder.

“John essentially introduced me to the theatre. 

"He was my English teacher in my first three years of Coláiste Chríost Rí. What felt unique to me at the time was the manner in which John brought texts to life. For a school boy in the 1970s, these were just texts. I had no background in theatre.

Opened on MacCurtain St in 1897 by Dan Lowrey as the Cork Palace of Varieties, the venue operated as a cinema for decades before John O'Shea, Dan Donovan, and Seán Ó Tuama of the Everyman Theatre Company acquired the building. File picture

"To have John O’Shea bring a play like The Merchant of Venice alive in the classroom with the different characterisations and the atmosphere was a really special experience.

"I will never forget his rendition of Shylock in the classroom. What I didn’t realise back then was that I was experiencing theatre for the first time. Everything that was great about theatre was embodied in this one man. I owe my journey into theatre almost entirely to John.”