The Marie Jones classic THE BLIND FIDDLER returns after 20 years to The Lyric Theatre, Belfast

By Love Belfast

May 2, 2026

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Friday 31st July until Sunday 16th August 2026.

MARIE JONES’ MAGIC WEAVES LIVE TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND GREAT STORYTELLING, WITH OUR UNIQUE SENSE OF HUMOUR FOR AN UN-FLEADH-GETTABLE SHOW.

The Blind Fiddler is a drama/comedy set in one of Belfast’s famous traditional music pubs. The play explores family, memory and cultural identity, set against a traditional Irish Music backdrop.

Starring World Class Trad Musicians, Cathal Hayden, (Fiddle & Banjo), Máirtín O’Connor, (Button Accordion), plus a stellar cast including, Kerri Quinn (Coronation St, Hope St.) and Antoinette Morrelli (Blue Lights), Further casting to be announced.

The production boasts a unique combination of creatives and producers, including Marie Jones, OBE, her son, Award Winning Director – Matthew McElhinney, her husband, Ian McElhinney (co-Producer) and her long-time collaborator, Martin Lynch (co-Producer).

Inspired by a true story, the narrative follows Kathleen Gormley, a woman on a pilgrimage to Lough Derg to commune with her dead father, and to find out the answers to who he truly was and why they drifted apart. As she undergoes the penances and rituals of the sacred island, Kathleen is transported back through the memories of her life as she attempts to understand her parents’ relationship and the forces that drove their family apart.

From her childhood, raised above a pub in working-class Belfast, an oasis of traditional music in the dark days of the ‘Troubles,’ where Kathleen is caught between the tension of her upwardly mobile mother with dreams of escaping to ‘The Cave Hill Road,’ and her publican father, a storyteller and musician desperate for her to ‘keep hold of her roots, to her adult years, and the death of the man she loved the most but no longer recognized, we accompany Kathleen on this reflective journey to uncover an incredible family secret. All the while accompanied by her father’s fantastical stories of ‘The Blind Fiddler,’ or maybe they weren’t just stories.

Featuring a multi-rolling ensemble cast, immersive design, and incredible live traditional music this production is elevated into a unique cultural experience.

Having previously sold-out UK and Irish tours, as well as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this will be the first time Blind Fiddler has been seen in Belfast for 20 years. Fiddler is a perfect illustration of Marie Jones’ fantastic ability to blend comedy & tragedy.

Cathal Hayden is an internationally acclaimed Irish musician on the fiddle and banjo. Cathal recorded his first solo album, ‘Handed Down’ in 1980, with his close friend and mentor, Arty McGlynn, accompanying him on guitar. Cathal went on to play in bands including Arcady, De Dannan and then formed Four Men And A Dog. Cathal is a great supporter of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, having won the All-Ireland for both the fiddle and banjo is his early career.

Máirtín O’Connor is an Irish button accordionist from Galway, who began playing at the age of 9, and who’s career has seen him as a member of many traditional music groups that include Skylark, Midnight Well, De Dannan, The Mairtin O’Connor Band, and The Boys Of The Lough. A traditional Irish musician, O’Connor was one of the major forces of the music in Riverdance.

To support The Fleadh, and as part of their 75 Year Anniversary, The Blind Fiddler Play returns, written by Marie Jones OBE and produced by GBL Productions.

In support of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann Belfast, 2026. Fleadh Cheoil will take place in Belfast for the first time in it’s history from Sunday 2nd until Sunday 9th August 2026, marking the world’s largest celebration of Irish music, dance and culture. This marks a major cultural, musical and tourism milestone for Belfast.

The Blind Fiddler is written by Marie Jones, OBE. Marie’s plays have toured extensively across the world, including Coast-To-Coast America, Canada, Germany, UK and Ireland. Her plays include A Night In November, Stones in His Pockets, Women On The Verge Of HRT, Dear Arabella.