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IF YOU’VE EVER been to Ballybunion in county Kerry, you’ll be familiar with the statue of Bill Clinton.
The former US President has played at the town’s golf course and a statue of him teeing off was erected in his honour.
The story of Clinton’s 1998 visit is being immortalised on the Dublin stage in A Statue For Bill Clinton.
The play opened earlier this week in the O’Reilly Theatre at Belvedere College on 6 Great Denmark Street, off Parnell Street, Dublin. And, while it tells a very Irish story, the play is written by a former mayor of San Jose, California.
Tom McEnery is an American author, businessman, teacher and former first citizen of the Californian city.
Being the grandson of Irish emigrants, his Irish links are deep, having completed his Masters thesis on Michael Collins and spent four months living in Ballybunion.
He told TheJournal.ie that the play came from a desire to tell a story of a major moment in time on a very micro scale.
It comes from the brutal and completely inspirational truth. Those few months happened exactly as they’re portrayed in the play – the Good Friday Agreement, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the votes in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“Clinton had huge problems at home and what they generally do is get out of town. So what we have added is the love affair between a man and his town and an American and a local girl, but the chronology is intact.”
While the Irish emigrant story is one that is well told, McEnery says that his time in Ballybunion made him interested in the Irish who stay behind.
“This story tells about Irish people who stayed here – those who couldn’t or didn’t leave – what are they here for? What are they working towards?
“There is a lesson in the play for Ireland in 2017 – if you’re committed and work day by day, sometimes good things happen. It all came together that one day in 1998 for this town.
“[When I lived in Ballybunion] I just learned so much about Ireland – why my grandparents left, why others stayed. Immigrants have always fascinated me, but I became fascinated with those who stayed.
Down in Kerry, the locals are pleased to have the town back in the news, with 25 people travelling up to Dublin for the opening night.
The people of Ballybunion are pleased. It’s not a good scene out in the west and they’re happy with the renewed interest in the town.
As for the future, McEnery thinks the play could translate to the other side of the Atlantic.
“It’s possible that this could have a life in Ireland and in the US.
The Irish story is so universal. I thought there was a story to tell here about this moment in time, wrapped around what happened this little town.
“If I’ve done my job, the audience will see that story.”
A Statue for Bill Clinton runs for a short and limited time until Sunday, 13 August, at the O’Reilly Theatre off Parnell Square, 6 Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1. Tickets are available here and by phone on (01) 443 3774 and range from €25 to €30, with show time at 8pm and matinées on Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm.
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Statue makers in Ireland must the worst in the world. Terry Wogan and Richard Harris in Limerick are a joke and that one of Bill in the picture could be anyone.
At least the lad that did Phil Lynott didn’t appear to be blind in one eye with the other one crossed.
@Chris Linehan: a typical error on the part of journal readers: read the first couple of lines and fly down to the comments because the articles are usually muck. In this instance I jumped the gun so I throw my hands up.
Terry and Richard are still manky though.
@Chris Linehan: well said. Journal readers are usually out for a rant and journal articles are usually misleading
@Chris Linehan: Are they still working on Monica and the cigar?
@Chris Linehan: statute makers aren’t much better.
The good old days when they found some money to tarmac the road into Ballybunion, and all the residents along the route of the cavalcade were told to stay in their homes, for security reasons.
Strong rumour has it that the sign above a Ballybunion hairdressing salon, “Monica’s” was covered up, just in case Clinton got upset with being reminded of the other Monica.
@Ted Murray: Which other?
@Fank Pulman: __ You know, the other one, nudge nudge wink wink :p
@Ted Murray: after all that happened Kerry co co drove the final nail on the coffin , they changed Ballybunion from an area of natural beauty to an area of ” no scenic value”.
Impressive, not all sex pests get a statue made in their honour.
@Brian Morris: Is a man not allowed ride as many women as he wants?
There are none that would compare to the cliffs of Dooneen. Bally B, by the sea……up the Kingdom!!!
@Etherman: The Kingdom, would want to start playing hurling and try a double sometime. I’d respect them then, football is an easy game to play and hurling is what seperate’s the men from the boys!
@Stephen murphy: if it was that easy every county would be winning the All Ireland. I assume you have a few celtic crosses in your pocket.
@Stephen murphy: a hurling man would of course be aware that North Kerry has a great hurling tradition. If football really is a simple game they’re a lot of counties out there struggling with its simplicity!
If you can’t ride loads of wimmen when you are the leader of the free world then count me out ..
I can’t think of anything worse for a town.
Are all these statues made by the local School for the Blind? Absolute attrocious work. And when you think of all the committees and Councillors and Mayors who authorise this garbage, is it the Artist that’s really at fault? Maybe everyone was fluthered when they were commissioned.
It’s in front of the local Garda Station to stop the locals from abusing Bill after a feed of pints !
The statue once had a ball which Clintons statue image was lining up to hit..The ball has long since disappeared (from in front of the Garda barracks), it was never replaced. All that remains is a rather tarnished image of a former President, a bit like the subject.
They forgot the Cigar.
Anything to drag a few tourists in
@billy Dorney: that’s all Ballybunion have left to offer for tourism. Kerry county council changed the landscape of Ballybunion back in 2012 from an area of natural beauty to an area of no scenic value in their landscape character assessment.
Got his hole in one
Looks more like Richard Gere.
They’d put up idi Amin if it would draw tourists
have your say