Foinse in performance of Cú Roí MacDara, © Muireann McCoy
A Kerry theatre company is bringing an Irish myth back to the place where it begins. On Tuesday 27 October, Foinse perform their new drama Cú Roí MacDara at the Navan Centre, in the shadow of ancient Eamhain Mhacha.
Quick facts
Date: Tuesday 27 October 2026
Doors: 6.30pm
Start: 7pm (runs about 70 minutes)
Venue: Navan Centre, Armagh (indoors)
Tickets: £19, from the Navan Centre box office or Foinse.net
Parking: Free, on site
Suitable for: Adults, and children from 8
What is Cú Roí MacDara?
Cú Roí MacDara is a new version of an old Irish myth. Cúchulainn, the hero of Ulster, sets out to rescue his romantic partner from an enchanted mountain in Kerry, where she is held by a druid king.
Foinse, a theatre group based in Kerry, have written an original script and original music for the show, and many of the songs are in Irish. They have performed it all over the country, including at the summit of Caherconree in Kerry for the summer solstice. Now they bring it to Armagh, where the story begins.
Foinse at the fortress near the summit of Caherconree, Camp, Kerry, © Dan Devane
Writer Jonathan O'Leary explains the setting: "This intriguing myth is set in the home of the two rival heroes, Cuchulainn at Eamhain Mhacha and Cu Roí Mac Daire's fort at the top of the mountain of Caherconree in Kerry." Having performed on location at Caherconree, the company says it will be "honoured to bring the show to the other sacred site Eamhain Mhacha for Samhain."
When and where is it on?
The performance is on Tuesday 27 October 2026 at the Navan Centre, on the edge of Navan Fort outside Armagh. Doors open at 6.30pm and the show starts at 7pm. It runs for about 70 minutes, so expect to be out by roughly 8.10pm.
How much are tickets?
Tickets are £19. You can book through the Navan Centre's online box office or on the Foinse event page. More about the company is on the Foinse website.
Is it suitable for children?
The production is aimed at adults, but Foinse say children from 8 will enjoy it. It's lively and dramatic, with magic, music, physical storytelling, larger-than-life characters and a heroic storyline.
Do I need to understand Irish?
No. Many of the songs are in Irish, but a programme brochure includes translations, and the show is designed so that audiences without Irish can follow the story easily.
Projected scenes set the stage for the story, © Muireann McCoy
Is there parking and disabled access?
Yes. There is free on-site parking at the Navan Centre, and the centre has disabled access and disabled toilet facilities. Because the show is indoors, you won't need to climb the grassy slopes of the fort itself.
Why Navan Fort?
Eamhain Mhacha is the legendary seat of the Ulster kings and the home of the Red Branch Knights in the Ulster Cycle of tales, and Cúchulainn's story is bound up with the place. For anyone interested in Irish mythology and folklore, and in what these old stories still say to us today, it's a fitting setting.
The details
Cú Roí MacDara by Foinse
Navan Centre, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh BT60 4LD
Tuesday 27 October 2026. Doors 6.30pm, show 7pm
Tickets £19: Navan Centre box office | Foinse.net
By Brian, LivingABC
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