Irene Kelleher is a writer and performer from Ireland. Her first play, Mary and Me, directed by Belinda Wild is published by Oberon, toured extensively to critical acclaim and is also an RTÉ produced radio play. Her second play ‘Gone Full Havisham’, sold out every show on its world premiere at the Cork Midsummer Festival and is touring to the Edinburgh Fringe (Gilded Balloon) this August 2019. Irene holds a Masters degree in Drama and Theatre Studies at University College Cork. She went on to further training at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Massachusetts. Irene was awarded the Best Actress Award for her performance of Aoibhe in the film The Trouble with Aoibhe at the BlackBird Film Festival in NYC and was nominated for a S.O.F.I.E Award. Irene has recently wrapped filming on The Other Lamb, (Dir. Malgo Szumowska) which co-starred Denise Gough and Michiel Huisman. It is due for cinematic release later this year. Her first venture into writing was the short film Outside the Box which won Best Irish Short Film at Fastnet Film Festival, 2013.
THEATRE CREDITS INCULDE: Maria in Stars in the Morning Sky (Belgrade Theatre- directed by Hamish Glen) The title role in Katie Holly’s Sharon (Cork Midsummer Fest 2017 and Bewley’s Theatre, Dublin) Mrs Shakespeare by Ian Wild (Off-Broadway Cherry Lane Theatre-NYC & Argus Angel Winner -Brighton &Edinburgh Fringe 2015), The Turn of the Screw (Smock Alley and The Everyman), the role of ‘Orlaith’ in the Irish Premiere of Ailis Ni Rian’s play Desolate Heaven, Kitty Kiernan in Pat Talbot’s A Great Arrangement (Everyman, The Mac Belfast and tour), Playhouse Creatures directed by Mary Curtin, The Playboy of the Western World (NYC-October 2013 and the Peacock,Dublin), Disco Pigs (Half Moon Theatre), A Whistle in the Dark, Lovers, The Collector, Pied a Terre, Lipstick, The Maids, Hollander with Hammergrin Theatre Company (Cork Midsummer 2009), Our Day Out, A Woman Alone, Much Ado about Nothing, Shakers Re-stirred and The Glass Menagerie.
FILM & TV CREDITS INCLUDE: Game of Thrones (HBO) , Reign (CBS), Fair City (RTE) When We’re Gone, Dig, Redline, as Lucy in the Award Winning Feature Beyond the Woods, Hatch, Spellbound, The Trouble with Aoibhe, The Gingerbread Men and the Award winning feature Dead Dogs (Nominated Best Actress- London Film Festival.)
RADIO:
Sharon by Katie Holly and Mary and Me (RTÉ Drama on One)