The Queen of the Coal Quay returns
It’s late evening on the Coal Quay and the smell of boiled pigs feet fills the air as an elegant woman with a devilish Leeside twinkle in her eye holds court in a sacred space lit only by candles in milk bottles.
The woman is Cork icon Katty Barry; restaurateur, legend, and all-round embodiment of her city at the turn of the twentieth century. The space – her famous síbín on Dalton's Avenue, just off the Coal Quay, which was demolished by Cork Corporation in the late '60s.
The place was famous for its simple food, its lively atmosphere, its unlicensed late-night boozing, and of course the queen herself, Katty Barry - always sharp, always watching.
Barry, who died in 1982, represents a different Cork to the one we know today, a Cork tantalizingly out of reach for most of us, but evident still in the old walls and narrow lanes yet to be converted to glassy office blocks or student accommodation.
Thankfully, there are those among us willing to do whatever it takes to celebrate and to preserve that old Cork and the characters that inhabited it. One of those people is playwright Marion Wyatt, writer and director of ‘Katty Barry – Queen of the Coal Quay’ which is back at the Cork Arts Theatre by popular demand.
The play, which premiered at the same venue in 2021, returns for daily performances until this Saturday, with tickets expected to go fast.
To mark its return, Marion, who also penned Leeside plays ‘The Sunbeam Girls’, ‘Shawlies’ and ‘Dockers’, put the Cork Independent in touch with lead actor Marie O’Donovan, someone she describes as “one of the most talented, hard-working, and versatile actors in this city”.
Returning to the iconic role, Marie says rehearsals have gone really well and that playing Katty Barry is a little easier this time around.
“I’m delighted to return to her. It's a rare opportunity you get a chance to portray such a powerful woman and character, a local legend, she really does hold a special place in my soul.,” says Marie.
“It’s so important to tell her story so her legend lives on. So many people in this city aren’t aware of her or have misconceptions about her. I feel proud to be able to bring her to life again.
“Something about this woman has always drawn me to her. I remember hearing stories about her growing up and have relatives that would have visited her síbín. I live around the corner from her grave and pop by to say hello regularly.”
Though the play is a work of fiction, it is built upon a dense foundation of stories and anecdotes surrounding Barry. In order to achieve as authentic a portrayal as possible, Marie did tonnes of research on both the woman and her world.
“I read as much as I could, looked up old census’ of the Coal Quay/Dalton’s Avenue area to get a glimpse of her life as a child, and luckily Marion Wyatt is privy to a lot of information on Katty, stories to be shared and not shared,” says Marie.
She continues: “I’ve gotten to know some of the Shawlies quite well and they’ve told me first-hand accounts. I have spoken and become friends with Katty’s nephew and his children, and I meet up with them whenever they come back to Cork. I’ve even spoke with the man who used collect her rent when she was in Corporation Buildings.
“It’s amazing the different stories people have of her and the various impressions she made on people and what she would let different people know about her. And of course, I’ve had more than one glass of stout and whiskey in Dennehy’s.
“In a world where men dictated most women's lives, she had total control over her own; a business woman, a successful entrepreneur – no one told Katty what to do. She had power over men in a man's world.
“But then her downfall, I suppose you would call it, is heart-breaking, when she lost her síbín in 1967, her home, shop, and restaurant that had been in her family for over 100 years; that is when her world and power began to crumble, to have been atop of a ladder holding court, to then falling to the bottom with no way to climb back up. No business left, perhaps little purpose left, depending on her neighbours to care for her.”
Marie describes Barry as a woman ahead of her times in a lot of ways, and says she would have been impressed with how diverse and welcoming modern day Cork has become.
“Everyone was welcomed by Katty, no matter class or country. She would be proud that still today the Cork spirit lives on, and particularly in the people of Middle Parish and the Coal Quay who still fight for their community and celebrate their history, in fact the existing Shawlies want to erect a statue in honour of Katty Barry,” says Marie.
“Even the Cork city Katty grew up in was very different to the one she died in. The modernisation and changes had already begun, and she did not like it. It got her home demolished and an office block and multi-story carpark put on the lane she grew up on.”
Joining Marie on stage are fellow Leeside actors Pearse O’Donoghue and Liam O’Caoimh. This run of ‘Katty Barry – Queen of the Coal Quay’ is the latest in a long list of collaborations between Marie and Marion Wyatt who have worked together for years.
Marie says: “I couldn’t even tell you how many productions I’ve worked with and for Marion over the years, from being a student to working in costumes to acting in professional theatre. It’s so pleasant to work with a writer and director that is so open to what her actors think and suggest, our show is a collaboration. Marion has such a knack for telling Cork stories and I am privileged to be working with her again.”
‘Katty Barry – Queen of the Coal Quay’ opened yesterday (Wednesday) and runs until this coming Saturday. Daily shows are at 8pm, with added 1pm lunchtime shows today (Thursday) and tomorrow.
Tickets for the lunchtime shows at €15 with soup or a sandwich, or €12 for just the show. Evening Shows are €15. Lunch will be served from 12 noon until 10 minutes before performance time.