No Pastry for the King

Maynooth 850 celebrations 2026

14th - 16th October

An Nuadha Players, in collaboration with Maynooth 850 Local History Group, St Mary’s Brass and Reed Band, and Castle Keep Art group, are delighted to announce our production of No Pastry for the King, written by Declan O’Connor and directed by John Bean. 
The play was previously performed by An Nuadha Players in 2008 and we are delighted to bring it back to the stage as part of the Maynooth 850 celebrations.

Maynooth 850 commemorates the town's 850th anniversary (1176–2026), marking the milestone when Strongbow granted lands to the Fitzgerald family to establish the settlement and castle. Spearheaded by the Maynooth Local History Group, the year-long program features lectures, exhibitions, and community festivals.

“Cometh the hour…cometh our Dan.”

The story of No Pastry for the King is inspired by the visit to Maynooth in 1911 of King George V and Queen Mary as part of their coronation tour. The Duke of Leinster invites the town band to lead the royal procession. One Dan Buckley aka Domhnall Ua Buachalla is having none of it. The band politely declines, setting off alarm bells in Dublin Castle. If the foreign papers get wind of this it will cause an international scandal. What’s to be done? 

Characters include members of the band committee, some worried officials, gossipy, argumentative, musical locals, an anxious barman, some singing peelers and a goat, with a queen, a couple of kings and a Christmas pastry thrown in for good measure. 

St Mary’s Brass and Reed Band will provide the live soundtrack for the production, with original art work by Castle Keep Art group.

The show will run for three nights from 14th – 16th October in St Mary’s Church of Ireland, Maynooth.

Doors open at 7:30pm with a wine reception, and Maynooth Band and Castle Keep Art exhibitions, followed by No Pastry for the King at 8pm.

Tickets are free of charge - booking essential.

Wednesday 14th October will be invitation only, with tickets available for Thursday 15th and Friday 16th October online through the link below.

The Cast of No Pastry for the King

Finbarr Coghlan

Donal (Dan) Buckley/ Edward O’Farrell (plus others)

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Finbarr was inducted into An Nuadha Players in 2007, with his “Daughters #1, 2 and 3”, starting with the “Robin Hood” pantomime. He has been involved in many pantos since, both onstage and backstage. He was also in “The Shaughran”, “The Hostage”, “Conquered Not Were We” and “The Lady in the Van”, among others. Finbarr’s credits with Insight Theatre, Celbridge include: “Alone It Stands”, “Our Town”, “Tarry Flynn” and “Dublin by Lamplight”. With Lucan Drama, he was in “Winners”, “The Cat and the Moon” and “Don’t Dress for Dinner”. Finbarr is delighted to be involved in this community production and hopes the audience enjoy the story that it tells.
Ann Kelly

Arthur (plus others)

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Ann is one of the founding members of An Nuadha Players, helping to launch the group in 1999. Since then, as well as serving on the committee at various times, she has been involved in most of the shows An Nuadha Players have performed; she has either been in them, directed them (sometimes both at the same time), built sets, been part of the stage crew or helped on front of house. Ann was also a member of Thurles Drama Group for many years, she performed with the Irish Theatre Workshop in Munich, and has been involved in several productions with our neighbouring theatre group, Insight Theatre Celbridge. As a Maynooth native, Ann is delighted to be involved in this collaborative production with the Castle Keep Art Group, St. Mary's Brass and Reed Band and Maynooth 850.
Aidan O'Neill

Tim/ Larry (plus others)

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Aidan has been with An Nuadha Players for the shortest amount of time amongst the cast. He made his stage debut in 2025 with SDC’s production of ‘Britney’s Lock’ as well as previously appearing in multiple instalments of an online indie film series, ‘The Sanctum’. After this he made a small appearance as a chorus member in Maynooth Community College’s production of ‘Back To The 80’s’.
Michelle Walsh

Joe/Mary (plus others)

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Michelle has been a member of the group since 2004 initially as a pit singer. Her debut to the stage was in 2006's production of Sinbad, and last year took on her first leading role as Arthur's Mammy Mary in 2025's panto 'The Sword in the Stone'. She has been singing all her life. She represented her local GAA club in Scór na N'óg in the solo and group categories for a number of her teenage years, went on to direct her local Folkgroup for many years before moving to Maynooth and joining several choirs and Folkgroups. She is presently a member of Straffan Sings (SUSO) choir and is loving it. This is the first time that Michelle has taken on a more 'serious' role in a one act play. She's enjoying the experience of working with the cast of No Pastry for the King and bringing her characters, Joe and Mary, to life.
Leanne Greene

Messenger/John (plus others)

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Leanne is a 19 year old student who made her An Nuadha Players debut in The Sword in the Stone. She decided to audition for this play after enjoying last year’s panto so much! She is looking forward to this production and for more to come.
Aoife Dutton

Messenger/Jimmy

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Aoife attended both the George McMahon Performing Arts Academy and The Peelo School of Ballet for 8 years. During that time, she performed in productions at The Helix and O'Reilly theatres. She also enjoyed her acting experience on the RTÉ production 'Louise Lives Large'. Aoife sang soprano 1 in The Children's Choir at the National Concert Hall. She sings with her school choir, participating in yearly competitions at Wesley College. Aoife is a member of her local ukulele group, singing and playing in various festivals and events. She is currently involved with Straffan Drama Club and also attends the Geraldine O'Brien School of Speech and Drama, where she has achieved multiple grades from the London Academy of Dramatic Arts. Aoife has recently been successful in achieving a place singing soprano 1 in the award winning Cór Linn located in The National Concert Hall.
Roberta Hines

Queen Victoria/American Reporter (plus others)

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Roberta has had a love of performing arts her entire life. She was bitten by the theatre bug at the young age of 11 when she performed as Grumpy in her home town's summer pageant Sleeping Beauty. From there she studied theatre in second and third level and graduated with a minor in theatrical arts from St. Mary's College. Roberta is one of the founding members of An Nuadha Players and has performed and worked on productions with An Nuadha Players since its inception in 1999/2000 and has taken part in yearly pantomimes and past plays. When not performing she can be found making costumes, helping out with set build, and general committee work. She was delighted to play the role of Ouiser Boudreaux in An Nuadha Players' 2023 production of Steel Magnolias.
John O'Toole

King Edward/Christy/RIC Man/Barman

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John joined An Nuadha Players in 2012 for our panto Beauty and the Beast as part of the ensemble. Since then, he has been involved in many pantomimes and the odd play with An Nuadha Players, including Dirt Tracks (2013), Cinderella (2013), The Snow Queen (2015), Robin Hood (2016), Twisted! A Wicked Fairytale (2019, 2022), Beauty and the Beast (2019), Sinbad (2023), A Christmas Carol (2024), The Sword in the Stone (2025) where he played Lord Cumberbun. The acting bug bit young; he took up Speech and Drama at the age of 4 until the age of seventeen and, while in secondary school, he was lucky enough to take part in the musicals Oliver, Guys and Dolls and Les Misérables. He also loves to sing, joining various choirs while in education, including the Maynooth University Gospel choir where he embraced their motto of "sing yourself happy". John is also a member of Canadh le Chéile along with many other members of the An Nuadha Players family. He is looking forward to the stage in this production of No pastry for the King where he will be playing the Roles of King Edward, Christy, RIC Man, Barman.
Maria Moore

Sixpence Singer (plus others)

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This is Maria's first venture into theatre although she has performed in Maynooth Educate Together’s productions since Junior infants. She is very excited to be a part of An Nuadha Players and hopes to form a long association with the group!
John McCormack

Chairman/J. B. O’Dougherty (plus others)

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John is a relative newcomer to acting but has quickly built experience across both stage and screen. He completed Bow Street Academy’s six-month part-time acting programme in 2025 and has since appeared in several theatre productions, including Echoes from a Room, as well as performing with Stagescreen and Dice Players at venues including the Teachers’ Club and the Sean O’Casey Theatre. On screen, John has appeared in two feature films, including playing the lead in the upcoming The Disappearance of Emily Ray, alongside IFTA-winning Love/Hate actor John Connors. Following No Pastry for the King, John will next appear on stage in Jane Eyre.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Additionally:

Vincent Mulready Tom Rawe, RIC Man

Conrad Brunstrom King George, Mick, Sergeant, Agustine Birrell

John McCormack Chairman, J. B. O’Dougherty, plus others

Grace Desmond Sixpence Singer, plus others

Production Team

John Bean

Director
 

John has featured regularly in An Nuadha Players’ productions since 2002 when he played the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood.  Other pantomime roles include Dandini in Cinderella, Abenazar in Aladdin and Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol.  He has played Joxer Daly in Juno and the Paycock, the title role in the Shaughran and the older Alan in the Lady in the Van.  He played the role of Joseph Barry in Down at Heel Productions War of Independence podcast ‘Fractured’.  He is a member of the North Kildare based chamber choir Canadh le Chéile.  He is delighted to direct this collaborative revival of No Pastry for the King as part of the Maynooth 850 celebrations. 

 

Patricia Hanlon

Ann Kelly

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Ann is one of the founding members of An Nuadha Players, helping to launch the group in 1999. Since then, as well as serving on the committee at various times, she has been involved in most of the shows An Nuadha Players have performed; she has either been in them, directed them (sometimes both at the same time), built sets, been part of the stage crew or helped on front of house. Ann was also a member of Thurles Drama Group for many years, she performed with the Irish Theatre Workshop in Munich, and has been involved in several productions with our neighbouring theatre group, Insight Theatre Celbridge. As a Maynooth native, Ann is delighted to be involved in this collaborative production with the Castle Keep Art Group, St. Mary's Brass and Reed Band and Maynooth 850.

Amy Douglas

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Amy joined An Nuadha Players in 2003 as an excited teenager. Since then she’s been involved on and off stage in many productions with An Nuadha Players. She has loved being a core dancer in many shows and thoroughly enjoyed playing a variety of characters over the years in both plays and pantos alike. Amy is passionate about community theatre and highly values the joy it brings to cast and audience members alike, particularly loving to see it within our very talented younger members who she knows will be the bright future of the group. Amy has been an active committee member with An Nuadha Players for 10 years, working as secretary and Chairperson in the past. Taking on the role of producer in recent years has been a positive experience that she has loved doing. Amy has thoroughly enjoyed working with such a dynamic, supportive production team for 'No Pastry for the King’ and wishes the brilliant cast a fantastic run!

Saoirse Walsh Colfer

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Saoirse has been a member of An Nuadha Players since 2003, beginning in the children’s chorus for Aladdin. She joined the core dancers the following year and has performed as a core dancer in every Christmas Pantomime since. Alongside performing, Saoirse has served on the committee for over 14 years as Marketing & Advertising Officer, managing event design, online communications, and ticketing. She trained at the Peelo School of Dance in ballet, contemporary, hip hop, and jazz, danced with the NUI Maynooth Dance Society, and currently trains with Monica Loughman Elite Ballet. She also sings with Canadh le Chéile alongside several fellow members. Saoirse took on her first leading role in Twisted! A Wicked Fairytale in 2022, and this year performed in her first musical, Rock of Ages, with Dunboyne Musical Society, which received three AIMS nominations. She is delighted to be part of the Production Team for this special collaboration with such a fantastic cast. Break a leg everyone!

Show location: St Mary's Church of Ireland, Maynooth

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