‘Home? Aren’t we there already?’

This is the first year, since the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings, that Maura has wanted her family to march proudly through the streets on St Patrick’s Day. With her husband’s health failing and her two adult children continually arguing, she dreams of returning to her beloved homeland. But will Ireland be her saviour or her ruin?


Notes when writing Belonging
In this age of fast and cheap air travel, the ‘global village’ and multi-cultural societies – is the issue of ‘belonging’ to any one place outdated? Why does immigration, for some, still feel like exile? Can you feel homesick for a place you’ve never lived?

These and other questions confronted me when I chose to write about the complex relationship between the English West Midlands and its Irish community.

Growing up Irish in Birmingham in the 1970’s was a formative and defining experience. I’m sure like many immigrants from other parts of the world I was constantly aware of my duality – English in Ireland and Irish in England – yet this identity was further complicated by the effects of the 1974 IRA bombing campaign, when a war was carried out – literally – on our doorstop.

In Belonging I wanted to explore our diverse and sometimes troubled shared history and to celebrate a city and its people as we grow into the twenty-first century together.

Kaite O'Reilly
Programme notes
September 2000.


First production
30th of November 2000
The Rep, Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company
Birmingham

Director Anthony Clark
Writer Kaite O'Reilly
Designer Rachel Blues
Cast James Hayes, Niamh Linehan, Iain McKee, Jacqui O'Hanlon, John O'Mahoney




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