About the Company

Fishamble discovers, develops and produces new plays of national importance with a global reach. It has toured its productions to audiences throughout Ireland, and to 19 other countries. It champions the role of the playwright, typically supporting over 50% of the writers of all new plays produced on the island of Ireland each year. Fishamble has received many awards in Ireland and internationally, including an Olivier Award.

‘the much-loved Fishamble [is] a global brand with international theatrical presence… an unswerving force for new writing’ Irish Times

‘Ireland’s leading new writing company’ The Stage

‘the respected Dublin company…forward-thinking Fishamble’ New York Times

‘excellent Fishamble…Ireland’s terrific Fishamble’ Guardian

‘when Fishamble is [in New York], you’ve got to go’ Time Out New York

‘that great Irish new writing company, Fishamble’ Lyn Gardner, Stage Door

‘Fishamble puts electricity into the National grid of dreams’ Sebastian Barry

Fishamble is funded by the Arts Council, Dublin City Council, and Culture Ireland.

Artist Biographies

Eva O'Connor is a writer and performer from Ogonnelloe, Co. Clare. She studied English and German at Edinburgh University before completing an MA in theatre ensemble from Rose Bruford drama school in London.

Her plays include My Best Friend Drowned in a Swimming Pool, Kiss Me and You Will See How Important I Am, My Name is Saoirse, Overshadowed, The Friday Night Effect (co-written with Hildegard Ryan), Maz and Bricks, and Mustard (Fringe First winner 2019, Lustrum Award 2019).

Eva's runs her own company Sunday's Child, with Hildegard Ryan. Eva has won various awards for her work including Best Emerging Artist Award, 2012 (Edinburgh Fringe), First Fortnight Award, 2014 (Dublin Fringe), Argus Angel Award, 2015 (Brighton Fringe), Fishamble Award for Best New Writing, 2015, Best Theatre Award, 2017 (Adelaide Fringe), Scotsman Fringe First Award in 2019 (Edinburgh Fringe) and Lustrum Award 2019 (Edinburgh Fringe).

Her play Overshadowed was recently adapted for television by BBC Three and Rollem productions, directed by Hildegard Ryan. It won Best Drama at the Mind Media Award 2019.

Eva has also written for radio. Her play My Name is Saoirse was adapted for radio by RTÉ Radio 1 and Eva's short story The Midnight Sandwich was recently aired on BBC radio 4.

Hildegard Ryan is a director in theatre and TV, hailing from Skerries co. Dublin. Hildegard studied English and History in Trinity College Dublin, and Film Production at CFS London. Her graduation short film was selected for the Cannes Film Fest short film corner in 2014.

Hildegard has collaborated with Eva O’Connor since 2013. She directed My Name is Saoirse, (winner of First Fortnight Award at the Dublin Fringe 2014, the Argus Angel at the Brighton Fringe 2015, and the Best Theatre Award at the Adelaide Fringe 2017.) She directed Overshadowed for the stage, and for its BBC3 screen adaptation. Overshadowed was nominated for a 2018 Rose d’Or Award and won the Mind Media Award for best drama in 2018.

With O’Connor, Hildegard has co-written and directed The Friday Night Effect, which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017. Most recently, she directed O’Connor’s Mustard which won a Fringe First and the Summerhall Lustrum award at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019.

Having directed a standalone episode for series 7, Hildegard has just wrapped on directing four episodes of The Dumping Ground series 8 for CBBC.