A PERFORMANCE ON SCREEN
Irish Repertory Theatre presents
The Co-motion Media Production of
The Aran Islands
Written by JM Synge
Adapted by Joe O’Byrne
Starring Brendan Conroy
Directed by Joe O’Byrne
Irish Rep “continue[s] to set the gold standard for theatrical webcasting…a piece of richly colored storytelling” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal
In the grey, sea-battered landscape of the Aran Islands, full of mist and wild rain, hearth is home and storytellers regale with tales by the fire. When John Millington Synge traveled to these remote islands upon the advice of WB Yeats in 1898, he discovered a bleakly primitive, mystical land that would inspire him for the rest of his life, leading to canonical works in Irish theatre, including The Playboy of the Western World and Riders to the Sea.
The Aran Islands: A Performance on Screen is a haunting and visceral experience built around “a hypnotic performance” by Brendan Conroy, one of Ireland’s finest actors, as he captures the spirit of Synge in Joe O’Bryne’s theatrical adaptation of Synge’s early work, “The Aran Islands.” This play has been reimagined for digital presentation, transporting audiences to a distant world.
The Aran Islands: A Performance on Screen was filmed primarily at The New Theatre in Dublin, with additional footage from the Aran Islands and Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre. Irish Repertory Theatre presented the stage production of The Aran Islands in association with Co-Motion Media in 2017.
Irish Rep “continue[s] to set the gold standard for theatrical webcasting…a piece of richly colored storytelling” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal
Press from our 2017 production:
“a hugely influential work…If you’ve ever wondered why Ireland has produced so many Nobel laureates in literature, this is a good place to start.” – Theatermania
“a hypnotic performance… Conroy beautifully captures the islanders as he takes us on an intimate journey. For those 100 minutes, you feel transported back in time.” – Huffington Post
Special Thanks to Anthony Fox of The New Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, Culture Ireland, Ulrike Führer, Padraig Jack, and Tomás of An Post on Inishmaan.
This production is sponsored in part by Aer Lingus.
Man of Aran, a 1934 blend of documentary and fiction by pioneering filmmaker Robert Flaherty follows local islanders as they face off against the everyday trials and triumphs of living on the Aran Islands.
Interested in further exploring the works of JM Synge? Check out Druid Theatre Company’s 2005 production of another one of his famous works Playboy of the Western World. This classic comedy follows protagonist Christy Mahon as he attempts to install himself as the hero of County Mayo after claiming to have killed his father.
The Aran Islands was first performed by Brendan Conroy at the Irish Rep in 2017. Learn more about how Conroy and director Joe O’Byrne brought the words of JM Synge to the stage in this 
Learn more about Irish Rep’s original production of The Aran Islands, which 
Learn more about what the Aran Islands are like today in this 
Read where it all began in JM Synge’s The Aran Islands. See the islands through Synge’s eyes as he chronicles his visits to the Aran Islands between 1898 and 1901.
Listen to the voices of a vanishing world in this episode of Irish History Podcast, as you will be transported back to the summer of 1901. Based upon the accounts of JM Synge during this time, the podcast details island life at the turn of the 20th century.
Find yourself transported back to 1957 with these field recordings, which document some of the vocal traditions of the Aran Islands. Sung mostly in Gaelic, these songs detail what life was like on Inishmore, Inisheer, and Inishmaan.
Enjoy the taste of the Aran Islands in this 
After a blustery evening on the Aran Islands, warm yourself up with this 
