At the Ireland 2016 Waterford programme launch at Waterford City Library last week, it was confirmed that for the first time, one of Garter Lane’s productions of a Jim Nolan play will also be performed in Waterford county.

Through the generous support of Waterford City & County Council, Jim Nolan’s new play ‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye’ will run from Friday, 4th to Saturday, 26th March in Garter Lane Theatre, and then move to St Michael’s Hall, Ballyduff Upper for one performance on Wednesday, 30th March.

Early bird tickets saving €2.50 for every ticket on every performance in Garter Lane Theatre and St Michael’s Hall, are now available to book on 051-855038 or www.garterlane.ie.

Margaret Organ, arts officer, Waterford City & County Council said the arts office is delighted to have supported both the commissioning of Jim Nolan’s new play, and, as part of Waterford’s 2016 commemorative programme, to have it showcased in both Waterford city and county.

Jim Nolan, playwright and director said: “This play has received huge support from Waterford City & County Council and I’m particularly pleased that Ballyduff is our Waterford county venue with its long distinguished tradition of community theatre.”

‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye’ is set in a provincial newspaper office in the Irish Midlands in the run up to Easter 2016.

The privately-owned Inishshannon Chronicle has just been acquired by a media conglomerate and the new brush is about to sweep clean. As the newspaper’s staff adjust to radical changes in its structure and ethos, the town it serves prepares to celebrate a tenuous connection to the Easter Rising.

The revelation that this connection is not quite what it seems puts the Chronicle’s editor on a collision course with both his new bosses and the local business and political community. Coming hot on the heels of ‘Dreamland’, and directed by the author, ‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye’ is a topical and provocative contribution to the forthcoming Easter Rising Centenary Commemoration. www.garterlane.ie