Gretta Owens (née Sexton) (part 1)

Gretta Owens was recorded at her home in Shanakiel where she speaks initially about her own background, and her parents’ great interest in literature and poetry. Her introduction to theatre came through Joe Lynch, who introduced her to James Stack. She recalls her earliest memories of dramatic plays produced in the ‘fit-ups’ and parish halls. Her father was her mentor and advisor, who gave her the courage and enthusiasm to perform in some of the big productions in Cork, including ‘The Whip Hand’. She is proud to have won the Father Mathew Cup for dramatic scenes, as well as many other prizes, including the City Cup for Advanced Verse-speaking. Her real thrill was in travelling to and performing in the country areas, in the big houses, reciting poetry for the gentry in evenings of recitals of poetry, and music. This was in the sixties, when a flowering of performance of recitation occurred in many venues around Cork city.