Welcome to THE GAFF

A resource for community, voluntary and professional arts in Limerick

Facilitating direct connection between artists, communities and the wider public

what’s new in 2025

catalyst international film festival

the rising of the women

The GAFF is delighted to announce the full production of Mike Finn's hilarious re-telling of the story of legendary film director, John Ford's visit to Limerick in 1956 to shoot scenes for his film, The Rising of the Moon. This being his first film since the success of The Quiet Man, the new film was eagerly anticipated and the great man’s arrival in the Treaty City was the cause of great excitement. Amid the glamour and the clamour, two hundred women were recruited from the Labour Exchange as extras. Their job was to portray worried citizens, anxiously reciting the rosary outside King John’s Castle while inside, a condemned rebel awaited execution at the hands of the Black and Tans. Midway through the first day’s shooting, the extras discovered that the buns provided for lunch were stale and that their pay was to be six shillings and eight pence rather than the promised ten bob. There was nothing for it but to strike! While they were at it, they also demanded porter to wash down the buns! Having fearlessly confronted the great John Ford, the film’s producer Lord Killanin and its technical consultant, Ernie O’Malley, the women demanded their issues were to be being seriously considered.

Get your tickets on Eventbrite.

Audiences can enjoy this intriguing story, in promenade theatre style, in various locations in St. Mary's, Limerick. The meeting point is Katy Daly's pub, opposite King John's Castle with ensuing scenes taking place in street locations and inside the nearby St. Munchin's (former Church of Ireland) Church. Joan Sheehy directs an exceptional cast of Limerick performers for this unique production including Gene Rooney, Aidan Crowe, Georgina Miller, Padhraic Hastings, James Corr, Carrie Barrett, Carmel Duggan, Megan O’Halloran, Mary O’Sullivan and Sheila Fitzpatrick.

Mike Finn’s newest play was a huge success when it was read in St. Mary’s National School, Bishop St. on July 4th, 2024. You can now listen to an audio recording of this play on Soundcloud.

revisiting the banshee

The GAFF is delighted to announce its collaboration with artists Aileen Lambert and Michael Fortune for a new project, Revisiting the Banshee, twenty years following the release of their enormously popular folklore film The Banshee Lives in the Handball Alley.

The original film still holds a very special place in the hearts of Limerick people and is regarded by many as an exemplar across Ireland’s public art projects and one that has left an enduring legacy in the communities of Ballynanty and St. Mary’s where it was recorded.

Commencing in March 2025 the artists returned to Limerick to work with students in St. Mary’s National School, Bishop St. and with Thomond Primary School to create a new film. The process draws on elements of the original film with input from some of the young people, now in their 30s, who took part in the project in 2004.

In tandem with the work in primary schools, a public screening of the 2004 film took place in The GAFF on March 22nd. Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert joined past and present project participants to talk about the experience of having been involved in the film and how the new project is likely to take shape. 

Recordings for the new film, with students from 5th and 6th classes in participating schools will take place in April with editing happening over the summer. The new work will premiere during Belltable’s Bualadh Bos Children’s Festival in October. Revisiting the Banshee is made possible with support from The Arts Council / An Chomairle Ealaíon and Limerick Arts Office.

Our new home on Edward St. achieved completion of Phase 1 renovations early Autumn 2024. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Limerick City and County Council, the JP McManus Benevolent Fund, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, College Players, Limerick Arts office and our colleagues in Limerick’s arts and community sector, all of whom have helped us realise this project. We look forward to Phase 2 commencing in 2025.

Collaborative arts practice has seen a rich growth in the Midwest region of Ireland in recent years. Sometimes referred to as community arts or socially engaged practice, collaborative projects and programmes essentially involve connection between professional artists and communities of place or of interest.

The GAFF now presents MidART, a publication that shines a light on artists who are currently working or who have recently worked with community groups in different locations across Limerick and Clare. The list comprises artists engaging communities through dance, theatre, visual art, music and spectacle.

We hope that this publication promotes contemporary, collaborative arts practice in our region and we welcome suggestions for future publications.