Linen Hall Library

Nothing Is Organised at AnnaghmakerrigAuthor(s): Ruth BakerSource: The Linen Hall Review, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Autumn, 1985), p. 18Published by: Linen Hall LibraryStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20533701 .

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NOTHING IS ORGANISED AT ANNAGHMAKERRIG

Ruth Baker

Driving up the long, winding avenue to

the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at

Annaghmakerrig in Co. Monaghan, I

could feel myself already 'getting away from it air. It would be hard to find a more

superb retreat than this lovely old house,

lived in for general ion s by the same family, with woods on all sides and lawns sloping down to a tranquil lake.

No wonder that artists, writers and

musicians come here from all over Ireland

and further afield.

Tyrone Guthrie inherited the house

from his mother in 1956 and spent as much

time as possible here in a distinguished and

crowded life. In 1961 he was knighted for

services to the theatre. He received

honorary degrees from many universities

and became Chancellor of Queen's

University, Belfast in 1963. When he died

in 1971 he left his home for artists to work

in peaceful surroundings. The Arts

Councils from both sides of the Border came together to help bring this-about, and

the centre opened to fulfil its new role in

October, 1981.

Bernard Lough lin, Resident Director, is

quiet spoken and exudes an air of calm

efficiency. A fund of information on the

Guthrie family, he lives here with his wife,

Mary, and two children, providing a stable

background for the ever-changing flow of

residents.

Bernard showed me his office, formerly the butler's pantry, and the original gong

on the hall table which still summons the

household to dinner at seven p.m. ? the

only organised meal of the day. For

convenience's sake, it is served at a long table in a room off the large, magnificently

equipped kitchen.

For the rest of the time the residents are

free to cat, work, sleep, go out, take a walk

when it suits them. They get their own

breakfast and lunch, and help themselves

to tea or coffee at all hours of the day or

night.

'Nothing is organised for them', said

Bernard Loughlin. * After dinner some like

to sit and talk for a while, others get back to work/

If they want to rdax in the pleasantly furnished drawing room they can listen to

Tyrone Guthrie's own play recordings. Over the mantelpiece is a painting of

Tyrone Power, famous actor, writer and

great grandfather of Tyrone Guthrie,

depicting him in three different roles (not to be confused with Tyron Power of

Hollywood fame, another relation!)

Throughout the house is a vast

collection of books representing the

family's interest in subjects ranging from

education, literature and theology to

nature, medicine and science. The drama

collection is one of the finest in Ireland.

There are valuable first editions,

including Charles Babbage's 'On the

economy of Manufactures and

Machinery," 1832; and a whole collection

of the works of Tyrone Guthrie's Scottish

grandfather Thomas Guthrie, who was

Moderator General of the Church of Scotland and wrote widely on theological and other topics, such as *A Plea for

Ragged Schools/ There are, too, books on travel by

Tyrone Guthrie's maternal grandfather. Sir William Tyrone Power, KCB, eldest son of the actor Tyrone Power, A large portrait o( the former dominates ;the

library, originally the dining room. On the table in this room is the theatrical

scrapbook presented to Tyrone Guthrie in

1945 by the governors of the Old Vic and Sadlers Wells, where he was producer and

administrator for over ten years. The library contains some of the

published work, romances and farces, and a book ^Impressions of America,' 1836, in two volumes by the actor Tyrone Power,

who was tragically lost at sea at the age of 44,

A bust of Tyrone Guthrie by Marjorie Fitzgibbon stands in the entrance hall ?

copies are in the Old Vic and the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Bernard told me.

Paintings by artists who have stayed at

Annaghmakerrig are also displayed. On a landing wail a collage by Lady

Guthrie is an impressive photographic record of some of the highlights of her husband's career, and of the great actors and productions with which he was

associated.

There is a large music room (formerly the concert room) where composers and

musicians can work. Sometimes it is used

by small professional theatre or musical

groups to rehearse and develop new ideas ? Ulster's Charabanc Theatre Company

and Martin Lynch, for instance.

Eleven studio bedrooms, comfortable

and workmanlike, have their own little

'library', a desk and angle poise lamp. Over coffee I met some of the residents: a

young American freelance journalist,

living in Dublin, working on a television

play; an American woman poet; adesigr >r

and writer from Hillsborough, writing a

play for radio; and a young man, recen;?y

graduated from the Belfast College of A t.

writing and illustrating a children's bo< k

in the spacious studio off his bedroom.

Among the residents of 1984 were J?rn

Littlewood, English theatre director,

working on her memoirs; Mary O'Malley, founder of Belfast's Lyric Theatre, doing likewise; Patrick Sandford. Artist c

Director of the Lyric; and Christina Rei I author of 'Tea in a China Cup' writing a

new play. The Tyrone Guthrie Centre is open to

practitioners of all the arts. To be accepted

they must show evidence of 'sustained

dedication and a significant level of

achievement ... People who have a clear

idea of what they want to do will get nmt

benefit from a sojourn at Annaghmakerrig.' Irish artists are asked to contribute what

they can afford towards thecost of thetrstay, the rest being made up by bursaries

administered by the Centre. Overseas

residents are expected to pay the whole

cost of a residency, now ?900 a month,

though from time to time special bursaries

may be available. Length of stay varies

from several days to weeks, up to thrc

months.

And the future? A major campaign to

raise funds for more studio and workshop

space is under way, and it is expected that

the next few years will see

Annaghmakerrig becoming a creative

focus of international stature. What mor??

fitting tribute could there be to the memory of its founder?

Irish Microforms Ltd

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