Kerry play about ironman underdog to be performed at Limerick venue

A PLAY from the Backroom drama group will be performed in The Glórach theatre in Abbeyfeale this weekend before moving onto venues in Kerry.

The Castleisland drama group Backroom are currently touring with their performances of Defend the Yellow Mantle.

The play will be performed in The Glórach theatre in Abbeyfeale tonight, Friday, October 16 and tomorrow, Saturday, October 17 at 8pm.

“We had a great night at the Glen Theatre in Banteer a few weeks ago, a rousing reception, they really enjoyed the play and showed it with a standing ovation.

“We are in St John’s Theatre in Listowel on Friday night November 13 and in Scartaglen on Friday and Saturday, November 20 and 21.

“Our tour schedule for next year is already filling up and we’re putting all our focus now on the dates in Abbeyfeale this weekend,” said a group spokesperson.

Defend the Yellow Mantle is a play based on the life and heroic sporting times of the Sugrena, Caherciveen born Mike ‘Iron-man’ Murphy.

Murphy was a complete unknown farm labourer and circus performer, who went on to win the 1958 Rás Tailteann.

He famously won seven out of the eight Rás stages.

The 24-year-old at the time was a complete unknown and it is a tale of a true underdog and one that the audience can really rally behind.

The play charts a journey of Murphy’s extraordinary life, his fierce passion and unwavering determination.

The production has been described as being gritty, powerful and hilarious – all expertly put together by the Castleisland drama group.

Written with drive, humour and wit by Ballymacelligott man Maurice O’Connell – who also plays the lead role in the production — the play had its premiere in the capable hands of the BackRoom Drama Group in the Ivy Leaf Theatre in Castleisland towards the end of last May.

It got the kind of send off which playwrights and drama groups can only dream of.

The players took their bows on all four nights with sustained applause ringing around the cosy little theatre.

Group members are grateful to 2026 Kerry Drama Festival adjudicator Gerry Stembridge for the time he spent on the play with them during his week-long stay in Castleisland last March.

The stage presentation included novel interactions like colourful narration enhanced by mime, poetry and singing.

Audiences who have enjoyed the production so far were also treated to and challenging monologues from which all on stage emerged with honour to the extent that the prompter was largely redundant for the evening.

The story of appreciation, shown by the audience after the opening performances of the play, were told by a truly spontaneous standing ovations and rounds of sustained applause.

The cast members are delighted to report that the trends of appreciation have followed them to date in their performances in Foilmore Community Centre in South Kerry and in Banteer in Cork.

Upcoming performances are now also set for Listowel and Scartaglen, in Kerry in November.

Tickets for The Glórach stagings are €15 each and bookings can be made via WhatsApp message or by calling 087 1383940.