Charles Macklin Autumn School

Culdaff will play host to the 18th Charles Macklin Autumn School October 2007. The School was established to highlight the life and work of this playwright and actor who was born in Gortinarn, near Culdaff in approximately 1690.

The first Macklin School was opened in 1990 by internationally acclaimed author and playwright, Brian Friel who remains its patron. This important cultural event provides a forum for creative activity in the region and has facilitated the staging of all of Macklin's plays and the publication of a book on Macklin's life. Originally christened Cathal MacLochlainn he later anglicized this to Charles McLaughlin. Later still presumably when he first started acting, perhaps in an effort to gain acceptability in the English theatre, he adopted the surname of Macklin. In the eyes of the Irish and the English theatre-going audiences of the eighteenth century he was perceived as a talented actor, comedian and playwright.

The committee hope this year's programme offers a wide range of arts and entertainment aimed to be appealing to various audiences.

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