At Home and Abroad

Megan Murphy, herself is a descendant of Peter Robinson emigrants, explains, “I come from a long line of storytellers - proud of our Irish roots and dedicated to preserving the spirit of our ancestors. It has been a deep honour to explore these concepts through the stories of the people who risked so much to begin again in this new world.” Other descendants in the production are local Peterborough/Ennismore favourite Paul Crough, Douro’s beloved Nancy Towns, Douro and Curve Lake’s Patti Shaughnessy, M. John Kennedy and Poppy Alderson. Set in the summer of 1825, Wild Irish Geese explores the 1825 migration of two-thousand Irish, escaping tyranny and hopelessness in Ireland, for the promise of something better in far-off Canada. Eventually over 2,000 impoverished Irish settled in Scotts Plains, later renamed Peterborough and began their lives anew. These new Canadians planted deep roots in the Peterborough area and have thousands of descendants both locally and across the globe. “At the heart of Wild Irish Geese is a monumental journey—of hope, displacement, survival and resilience,” explains Blackwell, “Telling settler stories today requires both humility and responsibility, and Wild Irish Geese does not shy away from this tension.” Murphy will lead the cast in the role of the Seanchaí, a Gaelic word for a traditional storyteller. Returning to the 4th Line stage in Wild Irish Geese are M. John Kennedy as Peter Robinson, Patti Shaughnessy, who also worked on the play as Indigenous Story Consultant, Matt Gilbert, Mark Hiscox, Sebastian Sage, Mikayla Stoodley, Lindsay Wilson and musician Fiddlin’ Jay (Jason Edmunds). Making their 4th Line debuts in the show: Paul Crough, Stew Granger and Nancy Towns. The cast will feature 29 professional and volunteer actors/musicians.