FOR DOLORES
by Eva O’Connor
Fishamble
Mick Lally Theatre, Galway
July 15, 2026
Although summers in the West of Ireland are renowned for being unpredictable, the Galway International Arts Festival always seems to arrive at a time when the sun shines and temperatures are high.
GIAF is arguably the most important cultural event of the year for our City of the Tribes, creating a relaxed, arty, friendly vibe that transforms this urban centre into what feels more like a bustling village, filled with artists and aesthetes.
The first show on the agenda this year was Eva O’Connor‘s For Dolores, which marks her third play with Fishamble, after Maz and Bricks, first performed in 2017, followed by Mustard. I soaked up the atmosphere as I strolled along Quay Street, before peeling off down Druid Lane, making my way to the renowned Mick Lally Theatre.
For Dolores sees best pals Mo and Réaltín looking back on their twenties: years of chaos spent partying in Edinburgh. Now living together in Glasgow, inhabiting somewhat more subdued lives, their conversations explore college life, regret and the complexities of friendship.
Alyson Cummins‘ costumes tell us a lot about these characters before they even open their mouths. Mo is an alternative, anti-establishment, rebellious lefty, with sharp wit and a gift for taking people down a peg or two. Réaltín is a more reserved, naive, somewhat conservative soul, who arrives in Edinburgh fresh ‘off the boat’ from Ireland, desperate to make friends, and establish her own identity.
It took director Jim Culleton months to cast these two parts, but I think it is fair to say that it was worth the wait. At first, one fears that Lara McDonnell might get left behind by the intense, charismatic Catriona Faint, but very soon we realise that this is all part of the plan. Faint’s Mo may deliver fantastic one-liners and insults that provide laughs aplenty, but McDonnell’s utterly lovable Réaltín balances this out with so much heart and emotion that it penetrates the soul.
In the end, we really get the sense that these two are in it together. Not just the characters, but the actors too: supporting and feeding off one another beautifully. Nothing sums this up better than the Glasgow nightclub dance scene, which is two minutes of pure and utter joy, courtesy of Nora Ní Anluain Fay‘s superb choreography.
Having spent a fair amount of time in Edinburgh during my own college years, this play brought so many feelings and memories rushing back that they were difficult to regulate. But it touches on a lot of other serious issues too – death, love, pregnancy, motherhood, co-parenting, alcoholism; O’Connor’s stunning script ensuring that everyone can relate in some way.
This was one of the most emotional experiences I have had in a theatre in years. I wasn’t right for hours after it. This play might just prove to be the hit of the festival.
5/5 stars
For Dolores has finished its run in Galway; it can be seen at The Pavillion in Dún Laoghaire for four days from July 22, before transferring to the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.
