An interesting fact about Martin Lynch the playwright is that he doesn’t have Wikipedia page. There’s a not so reliable page for a different Martin Lynch who lived in Belfast and was associated with the IRA and Gerry Adams, but that page specifically says, “not to be confused with the Belfast playwright of the same name.” The mayor of Gallaway from 1537 to 1538 was also named Martin Lynch, in case you were wondering.

In all seriousness, playwright Martin Lynch has been hailed as a hero of Belfast with his working-class plays dealing with real issues, both past and present, in Northern Ireland and specifically his hometown. His plays have received polarized reviews, sometimes bad and sometimes good, but Lynch never has failed to earn a fervent reaction of some type from audiences and critics alike.  I do wonder, however, if Lynch’s plays are too narrowly focused on Belfast and its unique culture? Would someone without the cursory knowledge of the culture of Belfast (or even Northern Ireland) be able to understand and appreciate the stories being told?  Or, is it possible that the playwright would not care if his tales were universally understood, as long as they struck the hearts of those who lived through the events which he recounts in his plays?