Chapter 1: What is the significance of 'The Gallant John Joe' in Irish theatre?
This is RTE Radio 1.
2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the first production of The Gallant John Joe by Tom McIntyre. May 1st is the fifth anniversary of the death of the great actor Tom Hickey. Tonight is a tribute to the two Toms. Tom Hickey plays the eponymous Cavan widower grappling with physical and mental infirmity.
Chapter 2: How does Tom Hickey's portrayal of John Joe impact the narrative?
What keeps John Joe on his feet is his capacity to tell stories using language as a crutch, an ointment, a talisman and an intoxicant. Language that some listeners might find challenging. This is Tom Hickey in The Gallant John Joe by Tom McIntyre.
It is him. I have this daughter, Jacinta.
Chapter 3: What challenges does John Joe face in his personal life?
She's carrying a child, a chirpon. A lot of arguments rising on the head of that chirpon. I do keep asking one question. First question anyone would ask, only she flings it back at me. Why bother action, she-she, when you've already decided you know the answer? I'll keep action, says I, till I find out what I've a right to know. You're my daughter. I'm that chirpon's grandfather.
I've an obligation to know where that chirpon originated. Is she listening?
Chapter 4: What role does language play in John Joe's storytelling?
Enough to pick up me word obligation. The chirpon and meself, she-she, we have our obligations too. Obligations to take it easy, to prepare for an event. Obligations to keep in touch with the father as seems right and proper. Oh, you're in touch with the father then, says I. To be sure I am, says she. How in touch, says I. Oh, all kinds of ways of keeping in touch, says she.
Carrier pigeon, smoke signals, notes left under stones. But best of all, says she, is telepathy, where without moving a finger, you communicate just be thinking. That's the simplest and the quickest. Carrier pigeon, smoke signals, telepathy, tele-fucking-patty.
Chapter 5: How does the family dynamic affect John Joe's character?
Animals does it, does she? Animals does it all the time and she's gone. I know the bastard, don't I? The Chinese, what runs the chipper below. God forgive me, wasn't I the one who encouraged her to take the job with them? I know it was him. Didn't I walk her to the chipper first day she clocked in? He couldn't wait. Seen it with me own two eyes, he couldn't wait.
Couldn't wait to get her upstairs or backstairs or wherever he deep fries his thrombone.
Chapter 6: What are the implications of Jacinta's pregnancy on the story?
Match the jeans, boss man is advising. DMA, they can do that nowadays. Oh, thanks, Lord. No, I'll say to meself. Match the jeans. The jeans is match, says I. Too fucking well matched. Boss man, the brave boss man. We used to go fishing. A non-stop ceremoniser. In here last week.
Chapter 7: How does the hypnotist influence the plot development?
First thing he wants to know. "'You taking your medication, gun-cannon? What about the bastard and side-effects?' says I. "'Name them. Main side-effect is the cripple,' says I. "'How's Jacinta?' "'Out of the chipper,' says I. "'Oh, and I thought the chipper would be the making of her.' "'So which is the making of something else?'
Chapter 8: What themes of loss and redemption are explored in the conclusion?
says I. "'Look, says I, look, look. It's not her carrying a chirp on her mind. "'Not, but I'll take a crucifix to whatever cunt done it. It's not that. It's—' Am I to spend the last years of me days watching, putting up with the child of a daughter of mine walking this town like the great-grandson of some pigtail Confucius you'd swim into a lake to get out of the way of?
So there I am, left lying in rigamarole, mulvathered and malavowed. But I knows me next step. There's this hypnotist operating below in the town. They're going to him in processions. Cripples coming out of the place dancing. The new druid bejesus. Fully qualified hypnotherapeutic treatment for maladies of all varieties. Agoraphobics welcome. Anyways, I'll give it a try, I decides.
Might ease the hurt mind a bit. And I lands in there. White mansion he has with long-legged young ones waltzing round the shiny corridors. And a five-score euro out of me pocket before they've the coat off me back. Plus...
i'm being bombardiered with music out of the walls and lights coloured bright and dark you'd never imagine and when he has me nicely light in the head he advances on me and lowers me on to one of them sofas with no end to one end of it So there I am, prostate. Bamboos will be the chair of playing circus. And he's just standing there, staring at me, not a word out of him.
Oh, Christ, says I to myself, oh, Christ, if it goes on like this, I'll be a short order candidate for extreme motion. But now he's beside me. Mr. Kincannon, welcome. Dallin Devine. I don't know what to say, says I. Talk when you're ready, says he. And now it's convenient for him to start massaging me skull, fingers like a concertina.
We must encourage the blood to attend to our needs, Mr. Concanon. He's saying. And we in turn must attend to the needs of the restless blood. I have this daughter, says I, Jacinta. And I takes out a 40, Jacinta. I bears regular on me person and I gives it to him. "'Handsome young woman,' says he. "'I think I seen a lot of what was to come in that particular remark.
"'She's carrying a child,' says I. "'I know who done it.' "'You know the father and you saw it coming,' says he, "'but were powerless to intervene. "'Now you want to shoot him and live happily ever after. "'Likely it wasn't the one you think.' "'Who was it then?' says I. "'Seldom is,' says he. "'Any able and me like I was deaf.'
seldom is where's that landed me on the issue of paternity says i i'd be better off at home taking me medication and i gets up to go but afore i departs says i to myself i'll draw blood i'll lave me mark on some section in this performer's anatomy so i parks myself again and says i "'Dallin Devine? You made that name up, you getcha?' "'Correct, Mr. Kincannon. I made it up. I had him taped.'
"'And why demand a leaky who go to the bother of making up his name now, says I?' "'Simply answered, says he. But first, bear in mind that we all, all make up our names in some fashion or other.'
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