Members of the Cape Shore’s Tramore Theatre Troupe travelled to Ireland in late May and early June, where they participated in the Festival of the Sea. According to Agnes Walsh, Tramore’s founder and artistic director, the Festival was the brain-child of Ray McGrath, a community organizer and storyteller in Cheekpoint, Co. Waterford. McGrath came to Newfoundland last year, and visited some of the small communities that line our coasts. After talking with many people, including Walsh and Arlene Morrissey, Tramore’s business manager, he became excited at the potential for greater exchange between rural Newfoundland and Ireland. He returned home, struck a committee, and so the Festival of the Sea was born.

Stretching over the better part of two weeks, the Festival brought together representatives from rural coastal communities on the Southern and Cape Shores of Newfoundland with members of similar communities in Counties Wexford and Waterford. Forums on fisheries, the environment, tourism, community revival and culture were held.

Mildred Dohey, Kay Coffey, Christopher Young, Wanda Coffey and Eugene Pittman were joined by wit and accordion legend Frank Maher and acclaimed singer/songwriter Pamela Morgan, as well as by Arlene Morrissey and Agnes Walsh. The troupe performed Walsh’s play “A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day” which celebrates the life and music of the late Patsy Judge, a native of Patrick’s Cove; they also sang ballads and told stories from the Cape Shore and even ran the Goat for enthusiastic audiences in various communities throughout the two counties. Walsh says that people were delighted by the performances – astonished by the wildness of the Goat, and somewhat taken aback to learn that ballads were still being sung in the old style in Newfoundland.

One of the highlights of the tour for Walsh was the performance of her play in Duncannon, County Wexford. Aidan O’Hara, an Irish writer and researcher who worked for the CBC in Newfoundland years ago and was at that time a good friend of Patsy Judge, was in the audience. O’Hara served on the SJFAC Board of Directors and also chaired the Folk Festival organizing committee while he was living in St. John’s. Now living in Dublin, O’Hara has written a book on the Cape Shore – it has yet to be translated from Irish into English – and continues to explore his long-standing interest in the cultural connections between Newfoundland and Ireland. Before the show began, Walsh dedicated the performance to O’Hara; he was, she said, moved to tears by the strength of the performance and by the tribute to his dear friend.

Next year, communities in Newfoundland will welcome Irish visitors for a second Festival of the Sea. The Tramore Theatre Troupe very much looks forward to that exchange. Their theatre season for this summer is now underway, with performances of J. M. Synge’s “Riders to the Sea” and Walsh’s new work “Chasin Cripple” on Fridays and Saturdays in July and August. Performances take place at their theatre in Cuslett. For more information, phone: 337-2104 or 337-2087. And don’t forget to check out the Cape Shore story and song sessions at the 29th Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, August 5-7; many of the theatre troupe’s members will be featured.