A new play celebrating Longford’s Camlin Quarter

The Fabulously True and Timeless Tales of Sergeant Virgil

Press Release
15 October 2021

Longford County Council, in association with Backstage Theatre and Republic of Culture presents a truly unique theatrical experience – The Fabulously True and Timeless Tales of Sergeant Virgil running from Friday, 22 to Sunday, 24 October 2021. With autumn now upon us, this is the second weekend of quality live entertainment to be delivered under the Faoin Spéir programme, funded by The Arts Council of Ireland.

Inspired by the stories and social history of Longford’s Camlin Quarter, the play celebrates the people and soldiers that worked and lived in Longford’s cavalry barracks and along Water Street 150 years ago.

A promenade performance
The play is a walking or promenade experience. Beginning in Connolly Barracks, the audience and performers walk together to St John’s Church and the site of Fee’s Mill before making their way over the River Camlin Footbridge for a finale in the Garden of Longford County Council.

Eight professional actors and Director Andy Crook have been devising the play for some months, supported, and advised by local historians Hugh Farrell and Eamonn Brennan. Local actors Niall Brewster and Mags McKenna will also join the cast, along with Longford musicians Aidan Flood and Seamus Farrell.

Director Andy Crook
‘The Fabulously True and Timeless Tales of Sergeant Virgil’ marks an exciting return to Longford for Director Andy Crook since 2019 when he directed Animal Farm with Backstage Youth Theatre. “This project has been equally fun”, said Andy, “digging into tales and stories around the barracks and the Camlin river quarter. Putting everything together and working out how and where it all might happen has been quite a task, but an enjoyable one and I am most thankful to Stage Manager Hannah Carleton and Shane Crossan for all their hard work and support. Sergeant Virgil is taking over now and I wish him luck, the scenes are funny, touching and strangely familiar, hopefully they say a lot about the times we have lived in, and the times we live in now”.

Tickets are €12 and bookings are limited to 25 people per performance. The show starts at Connolly Barracks at 7pm and 8.30pm each night. The performance route requires walking and standing for a distance of approximately 1.2 kms and is fully wheelchair accessible. Patrons are asked to please dress appropriately for cooler temperatures outdoors. Tickets available from Backstage Theatre Longford by calling 043 33 47888 or by logging onto www.backstage.ie.

Faoin Spéir Longford is a public arts initiative developed by Longford County Council in partnership with Backstage Theatre Longford, funded through the Arts Council Ireland’s Faoin Spéir programme.

ENDS

All media queries should be directed to Longford County Council Communications Officer Denise Canavan on mediaenquiries@longfordcoco.ie or 043 33 43362.