Director: Patrick Mason
Stars: Barbara Brennan, Roseanna Purcell, Stephen Jones, Shane O’Reilly, Joe Taylor, Ronan Leahy, Frank McCusker, Karen
McCartney

The writers include Emma Donoghue, Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Marina Carr, Joseph O’Connor, Thomas Kilroy, Hugo Hamilton,
Rachel Fehily, Frank McGuinness and Éamonn Ceannt.

As part of UCD’s public engagement programme to commemorate the Decade of Centenaries (which began with
the 3rd Home Rule Bill in 1912 and finishes with the end of the Irish civil war in 1921-22), UCD commissioned a
theatre piece in which eight world class Irish writers present the seven signatories, along with Nurse Elizabeth
O’Farrell, in a series of monologues, bringing the audience into their innermost thoughts.

The production was the theatrical centrepiece of the commemorations for 2016.  Its unique artistic composition
drew great public interest and provided an opportunity for intellectual discourse around the signatories that goes
well beyond the circumstances of the Rising and places them in the wider cultural context.  This extraordinary
production is a piece of theatre magic.

Sending out commands, addressing the people, lying in Kilmainham Gaol, saying ‘goodbye’, facing the firing
squad, being airbrushed out of public view, each writer presented an artistic response to the eight characters
through voices that thread across deeply personal emotions. The production was directed by Tony Award-winning
director, Patrick Mason.