[Dubliner]

The Irish theatre has been paying tribute to our greatest living playwright with celebrations at both the Abbey and Gate with whom he has had career long associations. The Gate Friel Season which played Edinburgh is currently running in Dublin, while the Abbey staged rehearsed readings of three plays of his choosing last week. The highlight was an 80th birthday party at the Abbey last night hosted by Sinead Cusack. Excerpts from Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Translations and Dancing at Lughnasa were performed by stellar Irish casts. There were beautiful musical performances of pieces from the plays. Thomas Kilroy and Seamus Heaney both gave tributes. The highlight was a most beautiful extract from Dancing at Lughnasa performed by the original five London sisters. They were the probably one of the greatest ensembles the Irish theatre has ever produced and together as they read, the magic of nearly twenty years ago struck again and we were all transported back to that magical summer of 1936. May he have many more years, for we will not have his like again.

[Alexandra]

Sounds marvellous - I'm glad he's been honoured in style. Who were the original sisters, Dubliner? And who else was at the party of whom we might have heard?

[Dubliner]

The original Mundy Sisters were Bríd Ní Neachtain as Rose, Catherine Byrne as Chris, Bríd Brennan as Agnes, Anita Reeves as Maggie and Rosaleen Linehan as Kate (The first four played the original premiere in Dublin and Rosaleen Linehan joined the cast for the NT, Phoenix and Broadway runs replacing Frances Tomelty). I attach links to articles from the Irish Times about the celebrations - guests included Ian McKellan, Jeremy Irons, Edna O'Brien and Conor McPherson.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/featur...4254543865.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/irelan...4254474542.html

[Alexandra]

Thank you, Dubliner. I love Brid Brennan and Rosaleen Linehan (I don't know the others I'm afraid).