Far Off Fields
Far Off Fields Production on the road
across the North West
Over 120 guests attended the Performing Arts showcase production of ‘Far Off Fields’ which took place yesterday at the Ship Gallery, Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh. Having already performed to audiences at the Alley and Balor Arts Centres, the ’Far Off Fields’ production is currently in the midst of a comprehensive roadshow, touring schools and community groups across the North West region over the coming weeks.
The production forms part of the cross border, cross community ‘Shared Past-Shared Future’ arts project, a joint initiative between the Balor Development Community Arts (“Balor DCA), Ballybofey and the Alley Arts Centre in Strabane. The International Fund for Ireland (IFI), under its Community Based Economic and Social Regeneration (CBESR) Programme, is providing funding across the three years of the project.
This week’s showcase event tells the story of our shared heritage in the times of the Hiring Fair in Strabane and forms part of the Project Group’s efforts to focus and highlight our shared heritage through the arts, introducing these shared cultural references and legends to new audience
s.
Written by Jonathan Burgess and directed by Kieran Quinn, ‘Far Off Fields’ is an intimate play which tells the story of a young girl, hired by a Castlefin farmer for a term. Unfortunately however, all does not go according to plan.
Commenting on the play, Michaela Boyle, Chairperson of Strabane District Council, said: “This drama, ‘Far Off Fields’, represents an opportunity for us to explore, understand and debate the role of the Hiring Fair in Strabane and other market towns throughout the North West.
“The impact of the Hiring Fairs were significant at many levels. They played a key role in driving the economies of their time and in shaping the individual life experiences of the many people who presented themselves for hiring in Strabane, Letterkenny and Omagh.
“These first hand experiences of the Hiring Fairs are now passing from living memory. For many, the memories were painful. For some, these experiences were liberating. To this day, the role of the Hiring Fair remains contentious. This production is a chance for us to engage with this part of our shared history and to begin to comprehend its legacy.”
Providing his insight into the play, Kieran Quinn, Chair of Balor DCA, said: “This show deals with the exploitation of children in early to mid 20th century and how this exploitation was tolerated by society. Hopefully, we have learned from this piece of history and the like of this will never happen again to our children.”
Also attending this week’s showcase production of ‘Far Off Fields’ was special guest, Mr Peter Hogan, Deputy Joint Director General of the International Fund for Ireland, who remarked: “I greatly enjoyed this wonderful drama by Jonathon Burgess whose writing reflects our past, but we see how these events have shaped our present. And indeed it presents lessons for our shared future. The IFI is delighted to be supporting Balor Developmental Community Arts and the Alley Arts Centre of Strabane in the production and tour of this play.” 
Mr Hogan also expressed a collective thanks to the international donors who have supported the work of the International Fund for Ireland for almost twenty-five years: namely, the United States of America, the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Opening Night of Far Off Fields Hailed a
Great Success
Last Friday night saw the production of Far off Fields at the Alley Theatre. This unique play written by Jonathan Burgess and directed by Kieran Quinn was a joint project between the Alley Theatre and the Ballybofey’s Balor DCA which was supported by IFI (International Fund for Ireland). This project was to ‘Highlight Our Shared Heritage’ by exploring stories in our shared past.
This play is based on the famous hiring fairs in the 18th, 19th and early 20th Centuries. Hiring Fairs were a source of farm labour. The hiring of farm servants was widespread in Ireland by the early 18th century. However hiring fairs, at which farmers and those seeking employment negotiated type and hours of work, lodging, and wages, seem to have been most common during the late 19th century, when they were held in about 80 towns, mostly in Ulster. Fairs were usually held twice a year, on or near 12 May and 12 November, the contracts made running for six months, to the next hiring day. The largest fairs were held in west Ulster, in towns such as Derry, Strabane, Omagh, and Letterkenny.
Set in Strabane Far Off Fields revolves around four main characters. A young 14 year old girl Niamh is hired out by her father John to a Castlefinn farmer Mr. Gallagher. As Mr. Gallagher’s wife is sick he is looking for Niamh to help with domestic chores and milking cows. However when Niamh arrives at the farm she finds her living conditions poor and feels terribly homesick. She finds a friend in Jack a farmhand who has lived on the farm all his life as his mother was a farmhand also. Niamh soon finds out that working on the farm is tough and soon realizes that Mr. Gallagher expects more from her than domestic chores and turns violet against her. Jack finds out about the abusive behavior and runs away as he also finds out that he is actually Mr. Gallagher’s son.
At the end of the season John wants to bring his daughter home but Mr. Gallagher persuades him to let him keep her. By this time Niamh is six months pregnant. Niamh just wants to go home but does not want to bring shame on her family.
In the meantime Jack has secured a job and decides to come back to free Niamh from Mr Gallagher’s torture. He persuades her to come with him to Scotland to start a new life.
Speaking about the play Emma Simpson from the Alley Theatre explains ‘this is a love story with a twist, it is about our shared history that many of our families have been though, it highlights the social aspect of the hiring fairs but also explores the hardships that went along with it.’
Far off Fields will be going on tour to schools and community groups through out the North West.
FAR OFF FIELDS - MEET THE CAST
Hannah Mc Clean who plays Niamh
Stephen Slowey who plays Jack
James Lecky who plays Mr Gallagher
Jack Quinn who plays John (Niamh’s Father)
Far off Fields
The Alley Theatre and Ballybofey’s Balor DCA, supported by IFI (International Fund for Ireland), are pleased to announce a joint partnership to ‘Highlight Our Shared Heritage’ by exploring stories in our shared past.
On Friday 4th February ‘ Far Off Fields’ a new play by Jonathan Burgess, will take to the stage at the Alley Theatre, Strabane, followed by a performance in the Balor Arts Centre on Sunday 6th February. This production will then tour schools and community groups throughout the North West.
‘Far Off Fields’ looks at the excitement the fair days brought to the local area as it was the one time every six months the rural community came together. Aside from the attractions of the day there was also the business of ‘hiring,’ where young people could be hired to a farmer for the season and their families received payment for this.
14 year old Niamh is hired by Castlefinn farmer Mr Gallagher. As this is the first time Niamh has been hired out she doesn’t know what to expect but when she arrives at the farm she finds her living conditions poor. She finds a friend in Jack another farm hand however when Mr Gallagher starts to take an interest in Niamh Jack disappears. Will Niamh be able to go back to family after the six months are over or will Mr Gallagher keep her under threat?
‘The play is directed by Kieran Quinn and written by Jonathan Burgess, author of the hugely successful Theatre-in-Education play “Fair Faa Ye” and last years production of the Parting’ explained John Kerr The Alley Theatre Manager ‘This play focuses on aspects of our shared history, emphasising the symbiotic nature of our heritage on a cross border and a cross community basis. The play already has a packed touring programme, which starts with a North West tour from early February’
