One of the Show People who travel the roads of Ireland bringing joy to people’s lives, Kilmacanogue’s Harry McFadden has tales to tell of his life on tour
Harry McFadden in his living room in Kilmacanogue. Photo: Leigh Anderson
At one point in our conversation, Harry begins quoting from the script of East Lynne, the famous melodrama which used to be popular throughout the English-speaking world.
“Dead! And never called me mother!” he declaims cheerfully, recalling how audiences used to love the play when it was staged by the McFadden road show in towns around Ireland. He has not presented the old crowd pleaser, with its sentimental plot featuring the death of the luckless Little Willie, in more than half a century. Yet the words are delivered as clearly as they ever were by his female co-stars at venues such as The Murrough in Wicklow or the old coal yard in Bray.