Bealtaine Touring Award 2025 Winners Announced: Miss Mary & Tender Mercies
Age & Opportunity is delighted to announce the awardees of the 2025 Bealtaine Touring Award, which will support two exceptional performances as part of the upcoming Bealtaine Festival. The award celebrates innovative and ambitious creative work by and for older people, and this year’s winners showcase a diverse range of captivating stories and performances.
Both Miss Mary and Tender Mercies exemplify the spirit of the Bealtaine Festival’s 2024-2026 theme, Lust for Life, inspired by Iggy Pop’s iconic punk anthem celebrating life’s dreams and passions. These performances not only honor the creativity of older generations but also bring new, thought-provoking works to audiences across Ireland.
Congratulations to both awardees for their exceptional contributions to the arts, and we look forward to their performances during Bealtaine 2025. Full performance information and dates to be announced with the Bealtaine Programme in April.
Miss Mary
The first awardee, Miss Mary, is an outdoor solo dance performance that traces the footsteps of Ireland’s travelling dance masters. Choreographed to evoke the migratory nature of these masters, the performer moves through parks and fields, connecting with the land and its memories. Audiences will experience an exchange of stories and steps that celebrate the rich heritage of traditional Irish dance. The tour will take Miss Mary to multiple venues across Ireland, with performances in Roscommon, Longford, and Dundalk. Co-produced by Roscommon Arts Centre, the project also receives support from Roscommon Arts Office & County Council, and it will tour Roscommon Arts Centre; Backstage Theatre, Longford; and An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk.
Tender Mercies
The second awardee, Tender Mercies, written by Colette Cullen and directed by Caroline FitzGerald, stars Sorcha Furlong in a tour-de-force performance as Mary Fortune. Inspired by a headline in a local newspaper, this blackly comic and poignant monologue explores the highs and lows of Mary’s life, delving into her loves, disappointments, and demons. Furlong’s captivating portrayal will have audiences reflecting on Mary long after the performance ends. Tender Mercies will tour several venues across Ireland, including Backstage Theatre, Longford; The Civic Theatre, Tallaght; and Dlr Mill Theatre, Dundrum.
