Actor Robert Sheehan talks about his new book at Dunamaise gig
Author of over 20 novels, John Boyne in conversation with actor and author Robert Sheehan on the stage of the Dunamaise Arts Centre
A SUPER night of stories, questions and answers and even a guided meditation session took place in the Dunamaise Arts Centre just before Christmas, when actor Robert Sheehan from Portlaoise returned to his beloved childhood stage to be interviewed by author John Boyne.
The event, titled ‘An evening with Robert Sheehan and John Boyne’ who discussed Robert’s new book
Robert’s first major film role was in Song for a Raggy Boy at just 14 years of age and is well known for his roles in and
A long-time supporter of the Dunamaise, Robert donated all proceeds from ticket sales from the event to the theatre.
Back in 2015, Robert donated his famous blue hoodie from (which he wore while playing gangster Darren Tracey for three seasons of the gritty crime series) to the centre. The hoodie is framed, signed, dated and holds pride of place in the upstairs bar.
Michelle de Forge, director of the Dunamaise Arts Centre, opened the event by introducing Robert and John to the stage. She spoke about their careers and thanked them for their kind gesture.
John Boyne has written more than 20 novels, including which was adapted for film and sold over 11 million copies worldwide. He began the evening by asking Robert questions about his life, his career, his many roles, his journey to inner peace and about his new memoir.
The authors spoke about their systems of writing and both agreed that writing a little every day is important for both established and upcoming writers.
John said he never throws anything that he writes away, including notes and various drafts of his books, because “you never know when you’d need them”.
Speaking about writing, Robert’s advice was to take plenty of time, adding that his memoir was written over a seven-year period.
With regard to acting, Robert thanked his “wonderful mother Maria”, who had taken him to so many auditions in Dublin and elsewhere on trains and buses when he was a teenager. He also emphasised that “having amazing, supportive parents was a huge factor in my success”.
Robert told the audience that he keeps diaries on every character he plays. The star said this helps him to get to know those characters intimately and allows him to get to know their back stories.
He also revealed how important meditation is to him and that he creates a space where nothing matters except that moment in time and that he can create this state of inner peace at the flick of a switch.
Following a short interval, the second session included a question and answer session with the audience conducted by Ms de Forge.
Both Robert and John gave in-depth answers to each question. Several people asked for tips on writing, while others asked Robert how he gets into character, along with questions about television production.
The evening concluded with a guided meditation and sound healing session conducted by Darragh Stewart and Shauna Rose of Innerworks.ie. Most attendees took part and the relaxing experience lasted for over 20 minutes.
After the show, people bought copies of both authors' books in the foyer, who happily signed them for fans.
A list of upcoming events for is available on www.dunamaise.ie. The box office can be contacted on 057 8663355 from Tuesday to Saturday, 1pm to 5pm.
