Moby Dick on the horizon as Youghal plans new literary festival  -  By Christy Parker

YOUGHAL is set to pursue Moby Dick once again as the town’s Concerned Citizen’s group is poised to harpoon a literary festival to Herman Melville’s tale of the great white whale. The one-day festival will be launched on March 16th and is intended to target to American market in particular, with the bait of St. Patrick’s Day 24 hours later an added, cleverly laid lure for attention.

While generally recognised in this part of the world, Melville is extremely acclaimed in the US and anything pertaining to celebrate his name and fame is certain to attract American attention.

The festival hopes to include live webcast debates between American colleges and locals who played parts or extras in the opening scenes. Other ideas being developed include “readings, a photography exhibition and re-enactments,” according to PRO for the YCC, Ruth Vance. “But we are inviting other proposals from the public as well,” she adds.

The initiative comes fifty eight years after director John Huston and his entourage temporarily transformed the east Cork town into a the whaling centre of New Bedford on America’s eastern seaboard. Huston and stars such as Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, Leo Genn and Ireland’s Noel Purcell dazzled locals while considerably boosting the local economy over three glorious months of glamour as they shot  the opening scenes of the much acclaimed film.  Youghal has long prided itself on its associations with Moby Dick but the link has remained undeveloped from a tourist perspective until now.

Olly Casey

Recently retired town councillor and mayor, Olly Casey, visited New Bedford, as guest of ex-pat association Sons of Saint Patrick.

As a 12 year-old, Mr. Casey witnessed the 1954 filming and his reminiscences regaled large gatherings over three days in which Paris-based Irish theatre company Gare St. Lazare Players Ireland, performed  a one-man adaption of the story. “I was struck by the people’s fascination for everything about Moby Dick,” says Olly. “They all wanted to come to Youghal and that interest indicates a major potential for our town’s tourism.”

Youghal Concerned Citizens, which was founded last February, adds the Moby Dick Literary Festival to its growing list of annual events, including Mackerel & Regatta and Halloween festivals and a Teddy Bears’ picnic. A Dickens-themed Christmas commences next week.

Inquiries etc., to Ruth Vance on 086-3252278 or Adrian Hyde (024) 91355; e mail: youghalcc@gmail.com.

Gare St Lazare Players Ireland’s production of Moby Dick, currently touring the USA as part of Imagine Ireland, has brought Youghal, Co. Cork and New Bedford, Massachusetts into a sister-city programme. At a reception in New Bedford held jointly by the Zeiterion Theatre and The New Bedford Whaling Museum, Mayor Scott Lang of New Bedford invited Youghal to become a sister city with his own.   During a week of Moby Dick related events inspired by the Cork theatre company’s visit,  former Mayor of Youghal, Oliver Casey,was the guest of honour as the two fishing-port communities shared their Moby Dick heritage.

Youghal served as the location for the Massachusetts whaling capital during John Huston’s 1954 filming of Moby Dick starring Gregory Peck.  Gare St Lazare chose to mark the link by premiering their stage production there in 2009.  Now during a 10 city tour of the USA they have hailed their visit to New Bedford as a highlight.  “The twinning of the two towns is a perfect legacy not only of our production but also of Imagine Ireland.” Said  actor Conor Lovett who performs the show.  “Imagine Ireland is a seed which will ultimately be judged by the fruit it bears.”

Gare St Lazare Players already premiered this year at Kilkenny Arts Festival their newest work, written especially for the company by New York playwright Will Eno. The play, Title and Deed, will receive its US premiere at The Signature Theater on 42nd street in May 2012.  “We are thrilled that a major American playwright has written a new work for an Irish company”, said director Judy Hegarty Lovett.  “This and the New Bedford/Youghal connection are a great start to the legacy of Imagine Ireland.”

“Culture Ireland’s year-long intiative in the USA is about partnerships that will endure.” Said Oliver Casey, “Ireland partnering with America, Gare St Lazare with Signature Theater, writer Will Eno with actor Conor Lovett, Zeiterion Theater with New Bedford Whaling Museum and Youghal with New Bedford.”

Moby Dick continues to tour this week in Boston and next week in New London, Connecticut then on to Burlington and St Johnsbury, Vermont.  Gare St Lazare have performed at more US venues in 2011 than any other Irish theatre company.
- 11 November 2011

garestlazare@mac.com

www.gslp.ie

Current TOUR DATES 2011.

June 14    First Love, Oxford Playhouse, UK.

June 16/17    First Love, Brighton Pavilion, UK.

June 22 – 25  The End & First Love. York University, UK.

July 14    The End, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

August 10 – 14 New Will Eno Project, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland.

September 22 The End, College of Saint Benedict, St Joseph, MN, USA

September 23 Moby Dick, College of Saint Benedict, St Joseph, MN, USA

October 14/15 First Love, Miami Dade College, Miami, FL, USA

October 18 First Love, Liverpool Irish Festival, Liverpool, UK.

October 19 The End, Liverpool Irish Festival Liverpool, UK.

October 26  The End, Keene College, Keene, NH, USA

October 27  The End, Fitchburg State University, Fitchburgh, MA. USA www.fitchburgstate.edu

October 29 The End, MCLA Presents, North Adams, MA, USA www.mcla.edu/bcrc

November 2-5   Moby Dick, Zeiterion Theatre, New Bedford, MA, USA.  www.zeiterion.org

November 7-13 Moby Dick, Arts Emerson, Emerson College, Boston, MA, USA artsemerson.org

November 13 Moby Dick, Connecticut College, New London, CT, USA

November 16-17 Moby Dick, Flynn Centre, Burlington, VT, USA www.flynncenter.org

November 18 Moby Dick, St Johnsbury School, St Johnsbury, VT, USA

Programming enquiries for 2012 welcome.

Step aboard the great whaling ship Pequod and sail the seven seas with Captain Ahab and his daring crew as they search for the legendary white whale Moby Dick! All the excitement and high seas adventure of Herman Melville’s classic story are captured in this faithful adaptation, told in full color animation.

Producer: Walter J. Hucker
Director: Richard Slapzynski
Script: Alex Buzo
Music Richard Bowden & John Sangster
Voices: Alastair Duncan, Bevan Wilson, Ron Haddrick, Max Osbiston, Barbara Frawley, and Peter Corbett

Click on the videos below to watch parts 1, 2, 3 & 4 of the full color animation of  Moby Dick

Youghal Concerned Citizens are delighted to announce the return of the fabled Moby Dick to Youghal in 2012. On March 16th, Youghal will host the inaugural Moby Dick Literary Festival, using the town’s links with the film to promote Youghal in the American market.

The Moby Dick Festival will kick off Youghal Concerned Citizen’s schedule of events for 2012. Already pencilled in are the Mackerel/Regatta festival, Halloween and Christmas festivals, putting the group as one of the most active in Youghal promoting the town. Mooted since August, a sub group has now been formed within YCC to tackle the event.

“There is the obvious connection between Youghal and Bedford, USA – the town Youghal stood in for in the film Moby Dick,” said Ruth Vance, PRO for Youghal Concerned Citizens. “But more so, Moby Dick is one of the most read books in America. It’s read in virtually every school there as part of their syllabus. The author, Herman Melville, is as famous as Shakespeare here.”

Marketing Youghal to schools and the literary market in America will be one goal of the festival. Moby Dick is instantly recognisable to most Americans and there is significant potential to market Youghal using its links to Moby Dick. The focus in marketing Youghal has heavily switched to using the resources we have and Youghal Concerned Citizens have been to the fore in capitalising on what’s available in the town – whether that be great food, history, the sea or Youghal’s natural amenities. “If it’s there – use it!” commented Ruth.

Other town’s have successfully capitalised on films made in their environs and hooked onto the film’s fame in promoting their towns. Youghal now needs to do the same. As with all our festivals, the event will be organised by volunteers and anybody interested in helping organise would be most welcome.

Click on related videos below

THE WHITE WHALE by VIDEOBLAST

Click on the full movie below which was part filmed in Youghal – This classic story by Herman Melville revolves around Captain Ahab and his obsession with a huge whale, Moby Dick. The whale caused the loss of Ahab’s leg years before, leaving Ahab to stomp the boards of his ship on a peg leg. Ahab is so crazed by his desire to kill the whale, that he is prepared to sacrifice everything, including his life, the lives of his crew members, and even his ship to find and destroy his nemesis, Moby Dick.

Coming up on Youghal Concerned Citizen’s schedule

Others events by Youghal Concerned Citizen’s see below or use the search box on the front page for more information and photos

And remember that Youghal is the Tidiest Town in Cork 2011

An Irish production of ‘Moby Dick’ has brought Youghal and a town in America into a sister-city programme. New Bedford, Massachusetts will be twinned with the East Cork town after a visit by the Gare St Lazare Players, who are currently touring the US.

At a reception in New Bedford, Mayor Scott Lang of New Bedford invited Youghal to become a sister city with his own. During a week of Moby Dick related events inspired by the Cork theatre company’s visit, former Lord Mayor of Youghal, Oliver Casey was the guest of honour as the two fishing-port communities shared their Moby Dick heritage.

Youghal served as the location for the Massachusetts whaling capital during John Huston’s 1954 filming of ‘Moby Dick’. Gare St Lazare chose to mark the link by premiering their stage production there in 2009.

Now, during a 10 city tour of the USA they have hailed their visit to New Bedford as a highlight. “The twinning of the two towns is a perfect legacy not only of our production but also of Imagine Ireland,” said actor Conor Lovett who performs in the show. “Imagine Ireland is a seed which will ultimately be judged by the fruit it bears.”

Gare St Lazare Players already premiered their newest work this year at the Kilkenny Arts Festival, written especially for the company by New York playwright Will Eno. The play, ‘Title and Deed’, will receive its US premiere at The Signature Theater on 42nd Street in May 2012.

“We are thrilled that a major American playwright has written a new work for an Irish company,” said director Judy Hegarty Lovett. “This and the New Bedford/Youghal connection are a great start to the legacy of Imagine Ireland.”

‘Moby Dick’ continues to tour this week in Boston and next week in New London, Connecticut and then on to Burlington and St Johnsbury, Vermont with Gare St Lazare having performed at more US venues in 2011 than any other Irish theatre company.

by Louise Cashell
corkindependent.com

In 1954, Ireland was a poor and isolated country, mired in a much larger recession as all of Europe struggled to emerge from the devastation of World War II.

Oliver Casey was a lad of just 12 summers, living in the small town of Youghal in County Cork.

But then something magical occurred. John Huston, Gregory Peck and a large film crew arrived in Ireland to shoot “Moby Dick,” using the ancient town of Youghal to replicate New Bedford of the 1860s.

“I’m not ashamed to say we had nothing back then,” Casey said before the screening of the classic film at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center last night.

But Hollywood star power transformed the life of the town. For four months, Youghal became a little Tinseltown and the tightly knit community was dazzled. Aside from the bustle and glamor of the silver screen, the movie provided an enormous boost to the local economy. It would be impossible to overstate its impact, Casey said.

“It’s burned into my brain forever,” Casey, 69, said. “My mother was hired as an extra at 30 shillings a day,” (That was about $4.20 in 1954 dollars). His mother was the caretaker at the town hall and also helped with the film wardrobe. “She was making twice what my father was getting down at the gas company,” he said.

Some 125 people were hired as extras and were paid every day whether they were used or not, he said. All of their families benefited from the windfall.

Casey, who grew up to serve as Youghal’s mayor on three occasions, has retained a lifelong interest in the Huston film and is visiting New Bedford in conjunction with the events this weekend celebrating all things “Moby-Dick.”

On Saturday, he will present a lecture on the movie illustrated with behind-the-scenes photos from his collection, accompanied by some colorful stories from those heady days.

“Gregory Peck was very unsteady on that leg,” he said. “So when they were taking the publicity shots, John Huston was crouched down low holding onto him.”

People flocked to Youghal from afar to watch the moviemakers at work, and Lenihan’s pub was the first to cash in on the excitement.

“As soon as the filming started, Paddy Lenihan hung a banner outside his place renaming it the Moby Dick pub,” Casey said, a name it still bears today.

Casey also recalled seeing John Huston emerging from town hall with a fierce expression. “I said to myself, ‘This guy means business.’ Even as a young fellow I could see that he was a driven man.” One man who owned property in the center of the set demanded more money from Huston in the belief that they couldn’t shoot around him, Casey recalled. “Huston wouldn’t back down. They shot around him.”

When the cast and crew departed they left behind the two mechanical whales used to portray Ahab’s nemesis. One broke free of its moorings during a storm and drifted away.

“They had to issue a warning on the radio to all shipping in the Irish Sea,” Casey said. “They advised mariners to keep a sharp lookout for a partially submerged white whale. It was a hazard to navigation.”

However, it appears the whale followed Ahab into the depths, since it was never seen again, he said.

“Moby Dick” had its world premiere in New Bedford at the Zeiterion, then called the State, in 1956, sparking tremendous excitement in the city. It was shown simultaneously in two other city theaters, and thousands of people lined the city streets to greet the director and cast, who attended the first night.

“Gregory Peck came along in an open convertible waving to everybody,” said New Bedford’s Paul Swain, who was standing on the corner of Elm and Pleasant streets that night. “Getting a big Hollywood star here was a real big deal. They’ve made some newer versions of the movie since then, but they’re not as good as the original.”

Mayor Oliver Casey’s lecture on the making of “Moby Dick” will be at the whaling museum theater at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Story and photo courtesy:

By DON CUDDY
doncuddy@s-t.com
November 04, 2011 12:00 AM

www.southcoasttoday.com

 

When you’re celebrating the 160th anniversary of a novel as epic as Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick,” you need nothing short of an epic celebration.

Therefore, not one, but three, major New Bedford cultural institutions — the Whaling Museum, the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park — have coordinated four months’ worth of events honoring Melville’s masterpiece.

“MOBY! On Stage, On Screen, In Community and In Art” is designed to heighten New Bedford’s profile as a cultural and historical destination by using Melville’s novel as an identifier for the city.

“This whole thing started by asking the question: ‘How do people come to know “Moby-Dick”?’ Because you know 90 percent of the public hasn’t read the book,” said Katherine Knowles, executive director of the Zeiterion.

“Moby-Dick” (1851) is largely considered one of the greatest works in all of American literature. New Bedford is not only the jumping-off point for the novel, but served as an inspiration for Melville.

“Moby-Dick,” part of the American literary canon, has also become a part of 20th- and 21st-century pop culture, showing up in everything from a Led Zeppelin song to “The Simpsons” to “Star Trek.”

“The fact is that ‘Moby-Dick’ has become iconic,” Knowles said. The cartoon character “Mr. Magoo played Ahab. Tom and Jerry played out the story; ‘The Simpsons’ have done the story. ‘Moby-Dick’ is now pop culture.

“‘MOBY!’ is looking at all the different ways this story has been told through many lenses. This is as in-depth as anything you could ask from any other community,” she said.

“MOBY!” includes a contemporary art exhibition, John Huston’s film interpretation, performances by Ireland’s Gare St. Lazare Players, walking tours, and a children’s cartoon festival, among many other activities. The project culminates with the “Moby-Dick” Marathon at the Whaling Museum on Jan. 7.

This evening at 6, the Zeiterion will hold a welcome reception for a dignitary, former mayor Oliver Casey from Youghal, County Cork, Ireland. There will be a screening of “Moby Dick” (1956) starring Gregory Peck and directed by John Huston at the Z at 7 p.m.

“This tiny town of Youghal is where they filmed the New Bedford scenes of ‘Moby-Dick’,” said Knowles. “So we’re flying the mayor out to introduce the film here at the Zeiterion.”

On Friday, the Whaling Museum hosts the exhibit opening of “Imagining Moby!” at 5 p.m. The exhibit includes original works by Leonard Baskin, Richard Ellis and Rockwell Kent demonstrating the ways artists have explored aspects of this great American novel. The artworks are drawn from the collection of Elizabeth Schultz, scholar, poet, professor emerita at the University of Kansas, and author of “Unpainted to the Last”: Moby-Dick and Twentieth-Century American Art” (1995). Dr. Schultz has been collecting art inspired by “Moby-Dick” for decades. A member of the Melville Society, she donated her collection of 20th-century paintings, prints, and other graphic works to the museum earlier this year.

Dr. Schultz noted, “the special joy of having the collection at the Whaling Museum is that, along with the Melville Society Cultural Project, I imagine working with many committed groups to develop new ways of using these visual images to present ‘Moby-Dick’ and the stories of whales to diverse audiences — children and adults, Americans and people from other cultures.”

A reception in the Jacobs Family Gallery in honor of Dr. Schultz will follow the exhibit opening.

Also on Friday, there will be a stage performance of “Moby Dick” by Gare St. Lazare of Ireland at the Zeiterion Performance Center, at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the “Moby! Cartoon Festival” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater in the New Bedford Whaling Museum. This is a free children’s film festival of animated films inspired by “Moby-Dick,” including an animated puppet version, a Spanish version, and others.

The national park will offer a free walking tour, “Melville’s New Bedford,” at 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday.

There will also be a matinee stage performance of “Moby Dick” by the Gare St. Lazare of Ireland at 3 p.m. at the Zeiterion and a “Moby! Memorabilia Exhibition” at the New Bedford Whaling Museum at 5 p.m. Saturday.

In addition, Casey will present his personal slide show of pictures taken during the filming of John Huston’s “Moby Dick” in Ireland in 1954-55, when Youghal was used as a stand-in movie location for New Bedford, at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Cook Memorial Theater at the Whaling Museum. Casey’s presentation will include many images of the production not seen before in New Bedford.

Nov. 14 is Moby-Dick Marathon Reader Call-in Day. Anyone may call in to request an 8 to 10 minute reading slot, beginning at midnight. Call 508-997-0046 x151.

The “Moby-Dick” Marathon Preview kicks off 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 with a pre-marathon buffet dinner and cash bar. At 7:15 p.m., there will be a free pre-marathon lecture: “Moby-Dick in American Popular Culture,” with Melville scholar, Dr. Timothy W. Marr. After Nov. 15, call (508) 997-0046 ext. 100 to purchase tickets for the buffet dinner. Admission to the lecture is free.

On Jan. 7, “Stump the Scholars!” will be held at 10 a.m. at the Cook Memorial Theater at the Whaling Museum. As a prelude to the “Moby-Dick” Marathon, the museum hosts a truly Melville-centric event along the same lines as National Public Radio’s popular program, “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” Those in attendance will have the opportunity to quiz Melville Society scholars on all matters “Moby-Dick” and Melville. No questions are too tough. Free.

The 16th annual Moby-Dick Marathon will begin at noon Jan. 7 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. All are welcome to this 25-hour event commemorating the anniversary of 21-year-old Herman Melville’s voyage from New Bedford harbor aboard the whaleship Acushnet in 1841. Free.

“We’re hoping the shops and restaurants will get behind” the “Moby!” project, said Whaling Museum James Russell with a laugh. “Maybe people will start growing beards, and using white whales in their displays.”

“With ‘MOBY!,’ we’re working towards the common goal of making New Bedford a destination for cultural tourism,” said Russell.

“There’s a unique nautical tradition in the city, that’s what we want to leverage. By working together the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. We hope that through various mediums, we’ll be able to engage a wide audience.”

Also, members of the Whaling Museum are invited to take a trip to California to see the critically acclaimed new opera by Jake Heggie, “Moby Dick,” at the San Diego Opera House. Join the Whaling Museum for three days of activities, VIP receptions, and a visit to the San Diego opera to see their premier of Moby Dick! Contact Alison Smart for more details: 508-997-0046 ext. 115 or asmart@whalingmuseum.org

Lauren Daley is a freelance writer. Contact her at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.

Photo and story courtesy:

By Lauren Daley
contributing writer
November 03, 2011 12:00 AM

www.southcoasttoday.com

Team M men’s hair salon won ‘best dressed window display’ for the ‘Halloween Spooktacular’ festival.

‘We at Team M men’s hair salon very surprised to have one best dressed window for the Youghaloween spooktacular this weekend, but we thank you and enjoyed doing it for the town, it was great to most shops supporting this great idea run by the YCC and myself and the family enjoyed the whole weekend as seems 1000’s of others did, great work by everyone involved’

The newly-surfaced streets of Youghal’s look set to play (g)host to a Halloween of unprecedented ghoulishness and entertainment this year. The Youghal Concerned Citizens groups’ ‘Halloween Spooktacular’ hopes to resurrect the annual ghoul-fest from the grave of anti-social mindlessness into which it has fallen in recent times. The group, hopes a new spirit will prevail, as it presents a wide range of activities intent on inciting family participation while preying mischievously on the intuitive fears and imaginings that ripple the neck hairs of the young and not so young alike.

The three-day list of events begins when a headless horseman somehow navigates his way through town on Friday night October 28th. The eerie evening also includes a presentation by Kay Donnelly on the trial of Florence Newton, a Youghal woman tried for witchcraft trial in 1661. The outcome of the trial, conducted by mortal who themselves sound decidedly scary, remains a mystery but the general conclusion is that she was subsequently hanged. The devil is in the details however!

Be afraid…be very afraid.

Saturday promises more chill thrills, with a display of torture machines that would delight many a teacher of the ‘old school,’ children’s storytelling in the hallowed atmosphere of St Mary’s Collegiate Church, fortune telling and a “ghoulish fancy dress street parade” through Youghal, guaranteed to add extra shiver to the spine as it passes vacated business premises where the ghosts of better times may yet linger. A presentation on paranormal investigations at the Old Imperial Hotel may hell to make frightening sense of it all, with fortune telling in Moby Dick’s advising in whether one should remain on for another pint or not.

Sunday bloody Sunday has storytelling in Condon’s florists, a pumpkin competition at Barry’s Lane and a treasure hunt amongst various unearthly pursuits.

YCC Secretary and local estate agent, Adrian Hyde says the Halloween Festival “is part of our on-going efforts to establish Youghal, not just as a summer attraction, but as a vibrant, family-friend resort all year round.”

Mr. Hyde says the response from the business and wider community to the YCC’s efforts has been “very supportive. I think everyone realises that we all have to pull together to secure a better future for our community and that is what is happening,” he states, adding that a subcommittee is also working on a “Dickens-themed Christmas for the Youghal.” Christmas only eight weeks away?  Now that’s scary!!

FORMER YOUGHAL TOWN COUNCILLOR OLLY CASEY is set for a whale of an adventure next November when he travels to America to deliver his reminiscences on the filming of Moby Dick in Youghal to a theatre audience. Olly will be the guest of Paris-based Irish theatre company Gare St. Lazare Players Ireland, who will be performing their one-man adaption of Moby Dick in the Zeiterion Performing Arts Centre, New Bedford, Massachussets. The show runs for three performances on Fri/Sat Nov 4th & 5th during the renowned company’s ten-venue US tour  as part of ‘Imagine Ireland- a Year of Irish arts in America 2011,’ supported by Culture Ireland.

A themed lecture, walking tour, a children’s film festival and a related art exhibition will accompany the show’s run. Olly will also travel with some photos from the time and is keen to hear from anyone who has any relevant material or memorabilia that he could also bring on the trip.

Olly’s invitation comes after his recollections impressed the acting group when they performed the play at the Mall Arts Centre in April 2009 during his term as mayor. “As a 12 year- old I watched those scenes being filmed back in 1954? and I can remember it all as if it was yesterday,” says Olly. “A lot of what I recall would be undocumented and it seemed to strike a strong chord with the group. When I got the e-mail inviting ne to join them in November I was both honoured and delighted.”

Obliging

Herman Melville’s 1851 novel is often considered America’s greatest ever noel. John Huston’s 1956 film portrayal with Gregory Peck and Richard Basehart is likewise deemed a classic. Aficionados of either are sure to be intrigued by the Youghal man’s eyewitness accounts to his hometown assuming the mantle of a mid-19th century New England whaling port. “I remember seeing the repeated takes in the opening scenes and hearing Ishmael’s (Royal Dano) famous warning to Starbuck (Leo Genn): ‘At sea one day you’ll smell land where there’ll be no land and on that day Ahab will go to his grave, but he’ll rise again within the hour,’” he recalls with a chuckle.

Olly says that practically all the cast and crew lodged locally, “except Gregory Peck, who stayed in the Metropole in Cork. We’d follow them around, picking up their discarded cigarette boxes and asking for autographs. They were very obliging. If we asked ten times, they’d sign,” he recalls. Mr. Peck, for all his prowess and presence was “probably here more in a promotional capacity,” offers Olly, “as he doesn’t appear in the film until well out at sea.”

Pubs and prosperity

The filming centred round Barry’s Lane, where Paddy Linehan, proprietor of Linehan’s Bar, acquired a special dispensation to open from 6 am. “It was always jammed and Paddy, fast on the ball, erected a banner portraying ‘Moby Dick’s Saloon’ on the front of his premises. Linehan’s of course subsequently and ever since became Moby Dick’s Bar.

Across the laneway stood a pub of a different ilk. “That was Mrs. Boland’s house, its frontage altered to represent Peter Coffin’s (Joseph Tomelty) Spouter Inn,” informs Olly. “Then at either end of the lane you had the Youghal fire brigade creating rain by turning on the hoses while huge fans dispersed the spray onto the set!”

Though the town only features in the opening minutes the filming spanned June to most of August, providing an incredible boost to a local, depressed economy. “Certainly a lot of money was spent on supplies and materials,” agrees Olly. “Then there was work on the set itself. My mother, Margaret (‘Tilly’) got 30 shillings a day –that’s €9 a week- as an extra. My father John was earning £7 a week working at the gasworks so you can gauge how lucrative it was. I remember seeing hundreds gathering at the back of the town hall hoping to get hired as extras. At the same time you would get Gregory Peck dodging in and out the back and front entrances!”

Abiding memories for an ambassador

Olly’s insights are further augmented through his mother’s role as caretaker in the town, where she had close proximity to the many props and accessories stored there. Yet one of his dearest impressions of the time came many years later, as he perused some photographs of the occasion provided by council colleague Liam Burke. “I recognised my mother crossing the Market Square in her costume as an extra,” he says. “That image has really stayed with me.”

His most abiding memory from the live event however derives from watching the iconic, early morning scene of Captain Ahab’s ship, the Peaquod, sail past Youghal Lighthouse, “towards the world.” He reasons it as reflective of Walter Raleigh, to name but one, having also sailed from Youghal to visit the world.

Though not by sea, the lone traveller that will be Olly Casey will depart Youghal for the wider world next November as an ambassador for the town in similar vein. “Yes, I’m conscious that in a personal capacity I am promoting Youghal to some extent,” he agrees. “And it would be great if something positive for the town were to arise from it. We’ll wait and see.”

Lauded show

As for the other one-man performance, Gare St Lazare’s adaption sees actor Conor Lovett, accompanied by original music from Caoimhin O’Raghallaigh on fiddle, viola and uileann pipes “catche the humour and the wisdom of Ishmael’s commentary,” according to Zeiterion’s website, adding, “It is everything Moby Dick should be.”

The critics seem to agree: “A Must-see. Lovett holds us spellbound as he captures the humour as well as the wisdom of Melville,” swoons the Irish Examiner;  “A distillation of Melville’s genius,” urges the Irish Times. “Mesmerizin,” echoes Eamon McCann and “Lovett’s capacity to hold an audience is remarkable,” considers” the Guardian. Wait until they see Olly…..!!

Olly Casey is keen to hear form anyone who could lend memorabilia for his journey; Please contact him on 086-8105739