The Country Boy

The Country Boy: A Play in Three Acts is a play by Irish playwright, John Murphy (1929-1998). Himself a country boy and native of Charlestown, County Mayo) who emigrated to the United States of America, "The Country Boy" reflects on the social problems of emigration and rural life in the late 1950's.

"The Country Boy" is a comedy-drama set in the small Irish farmhouse of the Maher family, inhabitants of County Mayo. It tells the story of Curly, 25, who still lives at home with his parents, Tom and Mary Kate. But Curly dreams of following his older brother Eddie to the U.S. in pursuit of success, even if it means leaving his sweetheart, Eileen Tierney. Only upon Eddie's first return home (with wife, Julia) on vacation, are truths revealed of hardship, alcoholism, a troubled marriage, homesickness, and regrets.

The Play

The Ulster Group Theatre company performed the first production of "The Country Boy" in April 1959 at the Group Theatre in Belfast. [cite web|url=http://www.irishplayography.com/search/play.asp?play_id=1349|title=Irish Playography: The Country Boy|accessdate=2006-05-10]

Awards

* [http://www.adci.ie/ Amateur Drama Council of Ireland]
** 1960 - All-Ireland Drama Festival [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D05EFDF1638F931A15752C1A962948260|title= STAGE: DAVIS IRISH PLAYERS|publisher=NY Times|accessdate=2006-05-10]

ee also

* Brian Friel's "Philadelphia, Here I Come!"

References