The Gathering-RSVP:

Irish HeARTs

by Yvonne Coughlan

Overview The Gathering-RSVP presented Irish HeARTs, a unique promenade theatre performance that led audiences through various installation venues in Kinsale. This cross-disciplinary arts project explored Irish identity through theatre, film, dance, music, poetry, and visual arts.

Guided by the comic characters Chuck and Susie, played by actors Marie O’Donovan and Mark Cosgrave, audiences engaged with diverse artistic installations. These characters, comically written by award-winning playwright Mark Harvey Levine, provided an entertaining and immersive experience connecting each art form.

Installation Venues & Partners

Special thanks to our venue partners:

  • An Grianán

  • Kinsale Health Food Shop (Market Street)

  • Mylie Murphy’s (Pearse Street)

  • Regatta Office 2013 – with appreciation to Victoria Murphy

Irish HeARTs Installations

  1. We All Mourn – Contemporary dance, interactive live performance, and film documentary

  2. Sorted Like – Comedy short film

  3. Harmony – Music video and workshop

  4. The Hidden World of Poetry – Poetry workshops and live readings

  5. Tír na n’Óg – Visual art

  6. Mamukko – Crafting eco-friendly Irish HeARTs bags

Collaborations & Global Participation

RSVP brought together a network of talented artists, both longtime collaborators and new associates, to contribute their creativity and take ownership of this multidisciplinary project.

Exploring Irish Identity

Inspired by The Gathering Ireland initiative, RSVP posed the question: What are we bringing people home to? Through history, heritage, and culture, Irish HeARTs invited artists from around the world to explore and redefine Irish identity.

Community Engagement

  • Radio Broadcast: Weekly discussions aired on Irish Radio International (Thursdays, 8-9 PM), hosted by Denis Collins and Yvonne Coughlan. Visit the radio Facebook page

  • Film Club – Questionable Taste: Held at Glen Studios, Kinsale (1st & 3rd Tuesdays), inspired by Helen Cuinn. Short films were screened and discussed.

  • Live Theatre & Events: Including Harmony, a song creation workshop at Crane Lane Theatre, Cork, facilitated by Caz Jeffreys and recorded by Rik Appleby of Lionheart Productions.

Featured Artists & Contributors

  • Martin A. David (Mardav) – We All Mourn choreographer

  • Adam Wyeth – Facilitator of The Hidden World of Poetry workshops

  • Elaine Garde – Visual Artist Tír na n’Óg Currency of the land

  • Seán Maguire – Live poetry readings

  • Mamukko (Attila & Levi Magyar) – Crafting bespoke, eco-friendly Irish HeARTs bags

  • John Baker – Musician (We All Mourn performance at The Dock Beach, Kinsale)

  • Helen Cuinn – Filmmaker (Film Club – Questionable Taste) Maurice Supple – Documentary Filmmaker Moira O’Brien – Documentary Filmmaker

We All Mourn: A Contemporary Dance Installation

Choreographed by Martin A. David, this installation explored grief through movement, drawing from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s five stages of grief. The performances took place across Cork and Kinsale, culminating at The Dock Beach on Supermoon Sunday, accompanied by live music from John Baker. The documentary (16 min), filmed and edited by Maurice Supple, captures the journey of this moving piece.

A Special Thanks

  • Sample Studios – Especially project coordinator Siobhán Ní Dhuinnín and liaison Katrina Foley

  • Photographer John Allen – Capturing key moments of Irish HeARTs

  • Our chorus of dancers from the community.