'I enjoy going on walks in the woods, dipping in the ocean, and savouring Cork culture'

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Ciarán MacArtain. I am a theatre artist, poet and producer based in Cork city.

The main body of my work is in theatre, channelled through our company, Strive Theatre, which is based in Civic Trust House on Pope’s Quay.

The remit of the company is to develop and produce new works of theatre and share them with as wide an audience as possible.

We currently have three projects on-going, The Crow’s Old Gold by Carina McNally, which is currently touring and due to be next performed at the Bere Island Arts Festival on Thursday, September 18 at 8pm; GOLL, a collaboration with Cork band MacBóchra, centring on stories from the life of our oldest Seanchaí, Fintan MacBóchra, due to premiere in The Briery Gap, Macroom, in February; and Voices from 50 Popes Quay, a research-led project in collaboration with Nicki ffrench Davis and Victoria Kingston, animating the storied history of Civic Trust House, one of Cork city’s oldest buildings, with a sharing upcoming on Cork City Culture Night on Friday, September 19.

I have strong links to the poetry community in Cork city, both as Co-Director of Ó Bhéal go Béal and as someone who has written poems and spoken word pieces for 15 years.

I am working towards publishing my debut manuscript of poems, under the guidance of Paul Casey, and have been greatly enjoying the process.

Outside of the work sphere, I enjoy going on walks in the woods, dipping in the ocean and savouring the wonderful array of cultural offerings that Cork city consistently provides!

Where were you born?

Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

Where do you live?

Midleton, Co. Cork.

Family?

Five in the immediate family, I am the middle child with an older and younger sister. My mother comes from Motherwell in Scotland and my Father from Dublin. Extended family in Scotland, Dublin, Canada, Belfast, London, and Australia!

Best friend?

Seanie D Drizzle.

Earliest childhood memory?

Folding t-shirts in the basement of our house in Canada, listening to The Waterboys and The Counting Crows…

Person you most admire?

Francesca P. Albanese.

Person who most irritates you?

Keir Starmer.

Where was your most memorable holiday?

In 2016, I went away for seven weeks travelling through the UK and France on my bike, including a five-week spin around Brittany.

It was an incredible experience and one that has stayed with me. The people, the food, and scenery all incredible!

Favourite TV programme?

True Detective - Season 1

Favourite radio show?

Leafy Garments w/ Tino on Éist Radio.

Your signature dish if cooking?

Carmelised Onion, Broccoli and Feta Tart (a Denis Cotter special, which I’ve adopted)

Favourite restaurant?

Iyers (…and now the Iyer’s pop-up, Monday nights in Osho)

Last book you read?

Of Gods And Fighting Men, Lady Augusta Gregory.

Best book you read?

The Unbearable Lightness Of Being - Milan Kundera

Last album/CD/download you bought?

Citrus Fresh - Good Grief.

Favourite song?

Eeeeeek - an impossible question! Probably People Are Strange by The Doors.

One person you would like to see in concert?

Patti Smith.

Do you have a pet?

Nada.

Morning person or night owl?

Depends on the morning or the night! Closer to a night owl, I’d say.

Your proudest moment?

Hard to say, hopefully it has yet to come!

I was really proud to see the PORT to PORT Festival Lisboa happen in 2023. We had worked on the project with Garden Collective in 2020 and it was taken out by covid so I was definitely proud of us all for pulling it together in 2023.

It was a music and arts festival with Irish and Portuguese acts and the culmination of a lot of connections forged between both places…

Spendthrift or saver?

Begrudgingly, neither…

Name one thing you would improve in your area in which you live?

The train service.

What makes you happy?

Seeing people express themselves.

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who enjoyed a good boogie and was generally a nice dude!

What else are you up to at the moment?

Playing soccer for Carrigtwohill and working with The Choke Collective to bring out our second album, Censored In The Suburbs, whose release is imminent!