New film from Moneygall’s ‘Mr Shakespeare’
A young teacher from Moneygall has just completed his own short film, which wad screened at the Irish Film Institute last Saturday.
‘If I Should Fall from Grace with God’ is the latest offering from Patrick Fogarty, the youngest winner in the more than 30-year history of the PJ O'Connor Radio Drama Award. Patrick (26) won the 2023 accolade for his play ‘The Last, High King of Ireland’, which tells the story of a day in the life of a hard-drinking man who has bestowed upon himself the crown in a small rural Irish town. The town is Roscrea and the protagonist, known to many in the locality, is played by Olivier award-winner Pat Kinevane.
The inspiration to write came from Patrick's family and he cites Shakespeare and Joyce as his most direct influences. The middle of three brothers, his parents were named John and Mary, just as Shakespeare's were - “really, I should have been called William!” Patrick jokes.
After being schooled at Dunkerrin NS and Coláiste Phobal in Roscrea, he went to university in Galway to achieve a BA in Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies with Gaeilge. He is now teaching at Cistercian College Roscrea, where his “love of Shakespeare superabounds, and known colloquially as Mr Shakespeare, this jest I do allow”, he says.
Patrick speaks of a “fearsome passion for playwrighting, film, theatre, and all things dramatical; my love began at an early age, reading stories and playing games with my brothers and friends. I have a vivid imagination, and I can see stories quite visually in my head.”
He first began to write when he was in Galway. His first foray into writing and directing was a play entitled ‘Zugzwang’.
AN ‘ABSOLUTE HONOUR’
Winning the PJ O'Connor Radio Award was an “absolute honour” for the Moneygall man. “I do not say this lightly, with so many great writers and artists who have come and gone before.
“It gives me courage, to continue what I’m doing, to write and create, and know that it has some value to some people, somewhere... It is one thing to feel pleasure at reading your own work, but watching actors bring it alive, and take it to another level entirely, is educating and humbling.”
Named after the late PJ O'Connor, former Head of Drama with RTÉ One, the awards celebrate the best in new Irish writing. But Patrick strives to create what he describes as “Irish drama inspired by the old craft of playwrighting.
“In this current era, I suppose, there is much talk of innovation and modernism within the theatre; whilst there are many people who can lead this charge, I, instead, seek to embolden the old craft of storytelling and renew the great dramatic traditions that are rooted within the Irish people.”
And winning the award did indeed encourage him to write again, this time through the medium of short film. “‘If I Should Fall From Grace with God’ follows the story of a mysterious character, wandering the dark city streets of Dublin in search of death; and in his search, comes to find much more,” Patrick says of his latest work.
Written, directed, produced and funded solely by himself, “‘If I Should Fall From Grace with God’ was screened at the Irish Film Institute last Saturday; Patrick hopes to see it screened at film festivals in future.
The Moneygall creator says he will in any case continue to write, “and say no more until you see it. I am hoping to find a distinct voice, separate from all others, that is uniquely mine, as I believe this to be imperative to any artist who wishes to impart their own, however small, view on the world.”