The Whale’s Fine Art Of Resurfacing

Laura Wood at The Whale FRI22AUG25

or many people here and around the world, a night out these days means a takeaway, some cheap supermarket booze and the latest bright and shiny delight streaming has to offer.

In a distinct twist to our groovy agus freaky forefathers, we now live under the mantra of tune in, turn over and drop off.

The only problem being, livin’ la vida sofa can lead to a life that’s a little too coddled and literally cushioned. And yet, we all know that heading outside and making contact with the living is pretty much crucial for a healthy and happy life, where conversations can run a little deeper than a one liner or a secondhand meme.

So, praise be to the likes of Dann’s and Lee’s of Kilcoole for keeping music live around here, and to neighbouring rockers such as O’Shea’s Corner in Wicklow Town and The Harbour Bar in sunny Bray.

And thanks be ta Jaysus, The Whale is resurfacing in Greystones today.

A gift to the town 10 years ago from Ross McParland, the quiet man’s intention was always to have this theatre become a community hub. A place for music, comedy, theatre and beyond, as well as workshops, talks, author visits, exhibitions, classes, fundraisers, gossip, etc, agus etc. Which is why he was keen its running should never get tangled up incorporate meetings.

And this sounds like the right time to to give a shout-out to the Whale team of volunteers who have been busy in recent months keeping Greystones’ no.1 show on the road – artistic director Ailbhe Skay, administrator David Bridgeman, tech wiz Paul Keenan, youth rep Katie Lacey-Curtis, the Emmy-winning Niall McKay, arts officer Ann Catherine Nolan, community activist Alice O’Donnell, theatre nut Joanne O’Shea, legal eagle Robert O’Shea, financial officer Orlagh Ryan, lawyer Aoife Sexton, chair Aideen Walton and the press officer and fundraising supremo sitting in front of us today.

Also on board as artistic patrons of The Whale are filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson (Adam & Paul, the Oscar-nominated Room), playwright Bernard Farrell and Hothouse Flower Fiachna Ó Braonáin. Boom!

All have spent the summer busily running around behind the curtain so that The Whale would have a new line-up, layout and live experiences, with the likes of Mack Fleetwood, David O’Doherty, Niall Breslin, Freddie White, Emma Doran, The Wicklow Stories Film Festival, Celtic Soul and Dave McSavage all coming to town.

The doors will open Culture Night, Friday, September 19th, with whistle player Cormac Breatnach, percussionist Eamon Cagney, accordion wiz Dermot Dunne, guitarist Martin Dunlea, poet Sean Watmore and local theatre group The Greystones Players joining in the celebrations.

On Saturday 20th, the party continues with Mack Fleetwood, whilst on Sunday afternoon, gothic rebels The Devil’s Spine Band will be fusing dark cabaret, Americana and Oscar Wilde-inspired storytelling. Well, you’d expect nothing less from punk power couple Honor Heffernan and Trevor Knight.

There’s also going to be one hell of a gala fundraising night in October up in The Powerscourt Hotel. More of which later.

You can go check out the initial line-up of upcoming events right about here, where, if you’re feeling generous, you can also donate to The Whale. And go explore the last 10 years here.

In the meantime, we caught up with Laura Wood to find out a little bit more about that fine art of resurfacing…