SYNOPSIS:
A week of short stories on the theme of Families and Communities by five renowned Irish writers, recorded live at this year’s Belfast Festival at Queen’s.

For the fourth year running, BBC Northern Ireland Radio Drama returned to the Belfast Festival at Queen’s with five new short stories for Radio 4. The event was hosted by Rowland Rivron and recorded live in the Great Hall of Belfast’s City Hall. Taking the theme of this year’s Festival – ‘Families and Communities’ – as their inspiration, Daragh Carville, Shane Connaughton, Brian Gallagher, Marie Jones and Niall Williams brought us a varied collection of light-hearted and imaginative stories. They range from one woman’s ill-advised search for her family tree to how one Dublin man copes with family life Sicilian-style. The stories will be brought to life by five acclaimed readers which include local actors Frances Tomelty and Stephen Rea. It was a unique opportunity to hear new work by some of the best and most exciting voices in Ireland today.

The Man From the Ancestry
By Daragh Carville
Producer Heather Brennon

When a woman’s curiosity about her ancestors draws her into a mysterious shop the enigmatic owner persuades her to try his new and innovative method of tracing family trees. However, the results have unexpected consequences and leave the woman wondering if it might not have been wiser to have paid heed to her old grandmother.

The Poet and the Shoe Man
By Marie Jones
Producer Heather Larmour

When Francie Noone, the Shoe Man of Kiladun, falls for the exotic charms of the poetic Maria Ferendetti, a future full of opportunity and travel awaits. But family tradition and expectation weigh heavily on Francie and present him with the most difficult decision of his life. Is there no way that he can preserve the past while forging a future?

Not That Kind of Country
By Niall Williams
Producer Heather Larmour

A cryptic comment made in his sleep ushers in an unusual day of disquiet and unease for car salesman Harry Brennan. When he refuses to allow one of his mechanics some exceptional leave it seems everything, or something is conspiring to force him to reconsider, as world events suddenly take on a very personal significance.

The Boy From Stoke on Trent
By Shane Connaughton
Producer Oonagh McMullan

With the sixth baby due, the McCulloughs arrival back from England has caused quite a commotion in the town. With five girls in the family, Mr McCullough is convinced a male heir is long overdue and wants 'his only son' born on Irish soil. Every child is in the town square eagerly watching as the McCulloughs dismount the bus, but none of them had reckoned on a stranger in town...

Too Late, Amore
By Brian Gallagher
Producer Heather Brennon

Tired of his solitary bed-sit existence in Dublin, Myles looks forward to marrying Sicilian beauty Loredana and making his home in Siracusa; however, just how will he feel about his previous life when he’s pulled into the bosom of her very large and gregarious family and feted by every uncle, aunt and in-law.

WRITERS
Daragh Carville is from Armagh and is a playwright and screenwriter. His plays include Language Roulette, Observatory and he contributed to Convictions, the award-winning theatre event held at the Crumlin Road Courthouse, Belfast. Daragh has won the Stewart Parker and Meyer Whitworth awards and was Writer-in-Residence at Queen's University Belfast where he was part of the team that set up the university’s MA in Creative Writing. His radio play Regenerations was nominated for the Richard Imison Award. Daragh’s first feature film, Middletown, has just gone into production, and his new play, Family Plot, is to be premiered by Tinderbox Theatre Company at the Belfast Festival.

Shane Connaughton is an award-winning writer, playwright, novelist and screen writer. As co-author of My Left Foot, he was nominated for an Academy Award in 1989. Other screen credits include Murder in Eden, The Playboys, The Run of the Country, The Blackwater Lightship and more recently Tara Road. He has written plays for several theatre Companies, including the Dublin Theatre Festival and the National Theatre in London. His novels include A Border Station and The Run of the Country.


Brian Gallagher was born in Sweden and lived all over Europe as a child, learning several languages. He studied Law and Philosophy at University College Dublin, earning money by busking with a clarinet all over Europe. Trained as a barrister in The Four Courts, Dublin, Brian is now a full-time writer after publishing two very successful novels Feng Shui Junkie and Junk Male and has ongoing involvement in film and music. Brian spends several months a year in Italy writing.

Marie Jones was born in Belfast and is one of Northern Ireland’s best-loved and most successful writers. The author of numerous plays for radio, theatre and television, Marie is also well known as an actress having appeared in In the Name of the Father, Eureka Street and Rebel Heart. Her many playwriting credits include A Night in November, Ruby, Christmas Eve Can Kill You and Stones in His Pockets which was a major international success, winning the 1999 Irish Times/ESB Irish Theatre Award for Best Production and nominated for three Tony Awards. Marie has received the John Hewitt Award for outstanding contribution to culture, tradition and the arts in Northern Ireland.

Niall Williams is a critically acclaimed novelist and playwright whose plays include The Murphy Initiatiative, A Little Like Paradise and The Way You Look Tonight. Niall's first novel, Four Letters of Love went on to become an international bestseller and has been published in over twenty countries. His second novel, As it is in Heaven was short listed for the Irish Times Literature Prize and broadcast on Radio 4; it was followed by The Fall of Light. He has co-written several books with his wife and his fourth novel Only Say The Word was published earlier this year.

READERS
Dermot Crowley is a much loved actor with many film and television credits to his name, including The Legend of Baggar Vance, Falling for a Dancer, Rebel Heart, Murder Rooms and Dead Gorgeous. His has received great acclaim for his many theatrical appearances which includes The Memory of Water, The Weir and Scenes from the Big Picture.

Aidan McArdle has received great critical acclaim for his recent portrayal of Dudley Moore in Not Only But Always, alongside Rhys Ifans. His television credits include No Angels and Any Time Now and his numerous theatre credits include Shadow of A Gunman, Richard III and A Prayer for Owen Meaney.

Gerard Murphy is a much respected film, television and theatre actor, having appeared in Batman Begins and Waterworld as well as BBC Television’s production of Vanity Fair. He television credits also include Waking the Dead, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Governor II and Taggart; his numerous theatre credits include Achilles in Troilus and Cressida, Volpone, The Weir and Waiting for Godot.

Stephen Rea - internationally acclaimed and award-winning actor, Stephen has numerous film, television, theatre and radio credits. His film credits include, The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, Michael Collins, The Butcher Boy, The End of the Affair and more recently Tara Road and Breakfast on Pluto. His theatrical credits include Cyrano de Bergerac, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, Shadow of the Gunman and The Playboy of the Western World.

Frances Tomelty is a well known Belfast actress with a busy theatre career including roles in Scenes from the Big Picture, Picasso’s Women and most recently Hamlet. Frances has also appeared in many popular television series such as Ballykissangel, Midsomer Murders, New Tricks, Spooks, Kavanagh QC and Cracker.

PRESENTER
Rowland Rivron is a much loved and multi-talented writer, presenter, comedy actor and musician with many credits to his name. As a musician and writer he has featured on The Tube, The Young Ones, The Comic Strip, Don't Forgot Your Toothbrush and with French and Saunders as the charismatic Dwayne, one half of Raw Sex. He has presented on BBC’s Holiday programme and made numerous guest appearances on TV including Never Mind the Buzzcocks and It’s Only TV But I Like It. Rowland is also well known to Radio listeners where he has presented shows such as Jammin (BBC Radio 2) Presenter and the Rowland Rivron Show (Virgin Radio).