Armagh Project 2015

Martin Lynch’s plays have been all been deemed controversial in some way, and seem to tackle very important issues that no one wants to talk about.  “Castles in the Air” concerns working class housing, and “Minstrel Boys” is set in Belfast during the 1981 hunger strikes. It is argued that his most controversial play is “The Interrogation of Ambrose Fogarty”, which is about a political activist who is falsely accused of armed robbery.

I would like to ask Martin how he deals with criticism from those who are offended by the topics of his plays. I believe I can apply it as a journalist to what we deal with when readers have issues with our coverage.

When meeting someone new for the first time, the first thing they always ask is where I’m from, which is probably because of my “funny” accent. I’m a New Yorker and have been for 25 years. Usually after they hear New York, they respond with a grunt or a roll of the eye. We are obviously all arrogant, rude, pushy, selfish, and most of us have no morals, in fact we are just  “all about the Benjamins.” Than I’ll be asked  “ but what’s your nationality?” and I reply American, and still that’s not good enough. The next question is, “ But where’s your family from?” Everyone always wants to know your entire history right from the start. I am an Italian-American girl, from New York. My question is why does it matter where I’m from or where I live, so you can make stereotypical assumptions about me right from the start. Growing up I hated being called a “guidette” just because my hair is black and skin is olive toned. There were many times I felt like I had to prove to people that I wasn’t a cast member of  The Jersey Shore and actually had a brain and some self-respect. There were even times I was actually ashamed  to say that I was Italian, because I hated being put in that category. As I got older I started to care less about what people thought about me and started to realize how wonderful it is to be an Italian-American girl, who got to grow up in one of the greatest cities in the world. Yes, I’m an Italian, but no I don’t use the phrase “ bada bing.” Yes, I’m an American, but I’m not lazy. Yes, I’m a New Yorker, but I’m in no hurry.

Troubles utilizes a cast of three people, two playing all of the other roles as Gerry is the main character and has a dedicated actor. There is limited description regarding how the actors switch in and out of character, other than the information provided on the character’s descriptions in the initial blocking. Did you expect people to exchange costumes or hats to identify them, if scenes get very crowded, much like the two ensemble characters in The 39 Steps?

Also, in his Romeo and Juliet play, he based the play on an actual marriage between a Catholic and Protestant, describing them taking a bus to the two homes and then going to the church, seeing the ceremony, and then both parties leaving on their buses. I was curious as to what church-Catholic or Protestant-did they get married in?

the bathroom line at temple bar united the americas. the two girls between us three, were from south america. when we north americans, finished belting tina turner we introduced ourselves, with the same drunken boldness that incited the sing along.

no, you can’t be from all of america — we’re also from the americas. you must be from the north america.

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Nationality, to me, is about as important as political division, the religious spectrum, or the Superbowl; I accept that others think of it as valuable, but I myself choose not to be a part of it.

I’ve mentioned this a million and a half times, but I “practice” Soto Zen, which means that I consider even the most prominent ideologies to be entirely trivial to the course of finding the good life (which, yes, is paradoxically an ideology in and of itself). However, this is a process of silence; that is to say, my thoughts on matters are kept to myself, not because I prefer to be neutral, but because I don’t tend to actually have thoughts on matters. I simply don’t know what is correct or what is truly good, so I move on in harmless ignorance.

Now, in terms of nationality (next to the other three things I mentioned above), there’s a more biological aspect, which can be quite significant to some. I am of Irish, Dutch, German, Polish (etc.) descent; I have no idea what that means. Ask anyone in Armagh what they think it means to be Irish. Their answers may be similar here and there, but you’re going to get a different answer every single time. There is no correct response. After that, ask them what 2 + 2 is.

So what does it mean for me to be Irish, Dutch, German, Polish (etc.)? I like to write, meditate, and eat donuts.

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but when has Zen ever answered anything?

I am an American. My pedigree is about half Irish, half Italian, and once upon a time ago my Irish family was kicked from French royalty by Napoleon, who were then kicked right out from England because they were Catholic in a Protestant country.

Nationality, to me, means nothing other than a label for you to identify yourself with a larger group. What makes you different from others is from who you come. America was, for a great deal of recent history, “the new world.” Americans, at least those who do not descend from Native Americans, lived from cultures imported from other countries along with the people who immigrated there. In America, we have the privilege of having the chance to experience other cultures by going to a different state, town, or even just down the street to go where people of a different culture chose to congregate.

Compared to America, Ireland wasn’t exactly a hot topic. Ireland’s major neighbors were sailing Scandinavians and the English Empire, and the Vikings who went to Ireland became Irish. They are surrounded with their own culture, and the only other culture they’re accustomed to are the English, who they’ve been fighting for ages because an English King changed their culture to make it his own. The Irish culture is bound to the boundaries of the island, which also happens to be the boundaries of the nation, so the Irish idea of nationality is also their culture, and I think they view a changes to their culture as an aggression to their nation.

It’s far too easy to say the Irish are nationalist. I think it’s more apt to say the Irish enjoy being Irish.

Can’t wait to hear it again out loud. Here’s what we think:

• Gerry = Chris Warman
• Seamus = Carolyn
• Derek = Jeff
• civil servant = Carolyn
• Fireball = Sharea
• Felix = Allie
• Eleanor = Bryonna
• Eugene = Charles
• Maggie = Kimberley
• Andy = Chris Rizzo
• Vinty = Bryonna
• Benny = Robert
• Colm = Jeff
• Taxi driver = Charles
• Goon = Robert

And a myriad of small roles that Kimberley will read: voice over, Jack Lynch, Mr. Carson, son, warder, newsreader, reporter, Colm’s Mate, and DJ

Stage directions and a myriad of other small roles read by Terri: community worker, Mr. Bryans, Banjo player, countryman, barman, voice, and deLorean

Enjoy the read.

A drunken and unpopular friar that is visiting a foreign monastery argues against the idea of religious asceticism as he stumbles to morning mass. #livealittle

When a god becomes a saint. When a Father cares too much for his Daughter. When a priest conquers for his lord. #GoddessSaintBrigid