Dr Fiona McDonagh
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Current Artistic Practice
(2022-2024) Artistic lead of Jub's Story-Finding stories through the Arts, a collaborative storytelling project led by staff from MIC in collaboration with MIC students, MIC’s theatre artist in residence, Liam McCarthy, Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick Education Support Centre and Limerick schools. The project, nominated for an Education Award in 2023, is derived from the successful pop-up TYA event at Lime Tree in October 2022 and 2023. Jub's Story sets out to develop a cross-arts approach to theatrical performance.
Current Research Activity
2021-2026 (with Morrissey, D.) Feasibility study into the development of an All of Ireland TYA (Theatre for Young Audience) Archive. The study is supported by MIC, University of Ulster, and Talking TYA Research Network.
Publications
Co-edited books
(2021) The Golden Thread: Irish Women Playwrights, Vol. One (1716-1992), Clare, D., McDonagh, F. & Nakase, J. (Ed.s). Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.
(2021) The Golden Thread: Irish Women Playwrights, Vol. Two (1993-2016), Clare, D., McDonagh, F. & Nakase, J. (Ed.s). Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.
Journal articles
(2022) “Print Roundtable” Discussing ‘The Golden Thread: Irish Women Playwrights’, 1716-2016 (2 vols., Liverpool University Press, 2021). New Hibernia Review Journal: A Quarterly Record of Irish Studies. PANELLISTS: Dr. Tanya Dean (TU Dublin), Dr. Barry Houlihan (NUI Galway), Gemma Whelan (Corrib Theatre Company), with introduction by Dr. David Clare (Mary Immaculate College, UL), Dr. Fiona McDonagh (Mary Immaculate College, UL), and Dr. Justine Nakase (Portland State University).
(2017) (with Finneran, M.) 'The teacher as co-creator of drama: a phenomenological study of the experiences and reflections of Irish primary school teachers'. Irish Educational Studies, Vol 36, Issue 2 (peer reviewed).
(2015) Book review: 'Forum Theatre for Children: Enhancing Social, Emotional and Creative Development' by Nick Hammond. Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, Vol. 20, Issue 4 (peer reviewed).
(2006) 'Reflections on the Practice and Approach of Playback theatre'. Youth Drama Ireland Journal (National Association of Youth Drama) (non-peer reviewed).
Book Chapters
(2022) Enlivening teachers' co-creating attitude, Routledge Companion to Drama in Education. Mary McAvoy and Peter O'Connor (Eds), Taylor & Francis.
(2021) 'Staging Edgeworth's The Knapsack for a contemporary young audience. Irish Women Playwrights, Vol. One (1716-1992). Clare, D., McDonagh, F. & Nakase, J. (Ed.s). Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.
(2021) 'Marie Jones- representations of disability and young audiences. Irish Women Playwrights, Vol. Two (1993-2016). Clare, D., McDonagh, F. & Nakase, J. (Ed.s) Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.
(2019) (with Finneran, M and Anderson, M) 'Theatres and a Spectrum of Engagement', Education and Theatres: Beyond the Four Walls, Finneran, M and Anderson, M, (Ed.s). Dordrecht: Springer.
Other
Podcast: Episode of New Books in Irish Studies podcast featured an interview with David Clare, Fiona McDonagh, and Justine Nakase, co-editors of The Golden Thread: Irish Women Playwrights (1716-2016) Nov 2021: https://newbooksnetwork.com/the-golden-thread
Podcast: Irish Theatre at Play with Dr Fiona McDonagh. Episode 6- April, 2021
Webinar: Theatre for Young Audiences: Education and Practice. Featured speakers: Dr Fiona McDonagh (MIC, UL), Dr Dorothy Morrissey (MIC, UL), Michael Chang (Branar), and Aideen Howard (The Ark) - chaired by Heidi Schoenenberger (NUI Galway). Eighth webinar for the Re-Imagining the Creative Arts Curriculum and the Creative Arts Canon webinar series hosted by the School of English and Creative Arts at NUI Galway and supported by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, April 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7w20r1r0_I
Talking TYA Research Network: https://www.talkingtya.com/
Fiona is a co-founder of the Talking TYA Research Network, alongside Professor Tom Maguire (Ulster University) and Dr Dorothy Morrissey (Mary Immaculate College). Established in October 2020 following the inaugural Talking TYA Conference, the volunteer-led network brings together theatre practitioners, artists and researchers interested in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) across the island of Ireland.
Selected Network Events
2025 — Discovering TYA Day | 10 October: Participants attended two TYA performances at the Lime Tree Theatre and Belltable, met with established artists, and developed their professional practice through a specially designed critical response framework, facilitated by Dr Fiona McDonagh and Dr Dorothy Morrissey.
2024 — Putting Performance to Work for Children and Young People Symposium | 11 October: Presented in association with Baboró International Arts Festival for Children and hosted by the Discipline of Children’s Studies at the University of Galway.
2023 — The Art of Listening | 4 March: A day of shared learning hosted by Professor Tom Maguire (Ulster University), in association with the Talking TYA Research Network.
2022 — Learning to Listen Symposium | Talking TYA & Young at Art | 4–5 March: The Talking TYA Research Network teamed up with Young at Art to stage a series of presentations and panel discussions exploring how we can ensure that the voices of children and young people are included in performance work for young audiences. The programme examined the capacity and capability required for sustained engagement: to listen to, learn from and act on children’s voices within what can be a precarious industry.
2021 —Talking TYA Research Network LAUNCH | 08 October: As part of our launch, Glasgow-based live artist, Ivor MacAskill discussed his project- Gendersaurus Rex, which explores gender, feminism, sexuality, queerness and difference, as they relate to the field of live performance for children. The event was hosted by Academic and Irish Times reviewer Dr Ciara L. Murphy, and was followed by Q & A session with the artist.
2020 —Talking TYA 2020 3-day virtual conference | 8th-10th October: The inaugural Talking TYA Event- a 3-day virtual conference on Participation in TYA. The Event was a collaboration between staff from Ulster University, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and NUI Galway. It was held in partnership with Branar Téatar do Pháistí, O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance and the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children. It was supported by Galway 2020, celebrating its status as European Capital of Culture.
Recent Conference papers
McDonagh, F. (2026) (with Kenny, A) .‘Migrating Musical Selves: A Workshop Performance’. 9th European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
McDonagh, F. (2025) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Third Space Potential of an Inter-Faculty Collaboration’. Performing the Contemporary Conference, University of Derby. Online, 12–13 November 2025.
McDonagh, F. (2025). ‘Nurturing New Growth: Exploring Partnerships Between Future Theatre Artists and Future Teachers’. IDIERI 11, Vancouver, Canada. 22 June 2025.
McDonagh, F. (2023) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Teacher-Artist Partnerships: Navigating Between Education and Theatre’. Balancing Acts, ISTR Conference, University of Galway. 5–6 May 2023.
McDonagh, F. (2022). ‘Sowing the Seeds – Fostering Collaboration Between Future Theatre Artists and Future Teachers’. 9th Conference of IDEA (International Drama Education Association), Iceland. 4–8 July 2022.
McDonagh, F. (2021). ‘Enlivening Qualities of Collaboration and Creativity in Our Practice’. Children, Youth, and Performance Conference, Toronto. Online, 25 June 2021.
McDonagh, F. (2020). ‘Organisation and Inaugural Speech’. Talking TYA Conference – 3-day virtual conference on Participation in TYA. Collaboration between Ulster University, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and NUI Galway, in partnership with Branar Téatar do Pháistí, O'Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance and the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children. Supported by Galway 2020. 8–10 October 2020.
McDonagh, F. (2019) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Using Theatre to Trouble Gender with Young Children’. ITYARN Conference. 12 September 2019.
McDonagh, F. (2018) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Using Theatre to Trouble Young Children's Gender Narratives’. 4th International Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference, Institute of Technology, Sligo. 19–20 April 2018.
McDonagh, F. (2018). ‘A Teacher's Story of Dramatic Change’. 9th International Drama in Education Research Institute (IDIERI 9), Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre, University of Auckland, New Zealand. 2–9 July 2018.
McDonagh, F. (2018) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Making Theatre to Trouble Gender with Young Children’. IDIERI 9, Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre, University of Auckland, New Zealand. 2–9 July 2018.
McDonagh, F. (2017). ‘Devising ‘babywork’ - Blátha Bána/ White Blossoms-: Female Theatre Makers in TYA’. The Irish Women Playwrights and Theatre Makers Conference, Mary Immaculate College, UL. 8–10 June 2017. (Curated conference.)
McDonagh, F. (2017) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Making Theatre and Troubling Gender with Young Children’. The Irish Women Playwrights and Theatre Makers Conference, Mary Immaculate College, UL. 8–10 June 2017.
McDonagh, F. (2016). ‘An Ethnographic Study of Branar's “Tiny Show” as a Safe and Creative Space for TYA Artists’. ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering; On the Edge Symposium, Birmingham. 8 July 2016.
McDonagh, F. (2016) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Collaborative Learning as Renegotiation of Selves’. Irish Society for Theatre Research Conference, WIT. 22 April 2016.
McDonagh, F. (2015). ‘Considering Co-Creation in Drama through Teacher Practice’. IDIERI 8, Singapore. 5 July 2015.
Conference Performances
McDonagh, F. (Director) and Kenny, A. (Director) (2025). ‘Migrating Musical Selves’ – Research Performance at Contested (Hi)Stories in Media and Creative Arts (ICTS), Limerick. 18 March 2025.
McDonagh, F. (2016) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Narrating the Self-Collaboratively: Interrogating Identity through Practice’. 3rd Narrative Inquiry Conference, NUI Galway. 11 March 2016.
McDonagh, F. (2015) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Some Say I Am’. IDIERI 8, Singapore. 4 July 2015.
McDonagh, F. (2015) (with Morrissey, D.). ‘Some Say I Am, the Beginning’. International Research Methods Summer School (IRMSS), Limerick. 7 June 2015.
