In this very special podcast, we revisit an edited interview Alan King, Deputy Director of Youth Theatre Ireland, conducted with Paddy O’Dwyer in 2021.
Paddy passed away in August 2024 and is very sadly missed by family, friends and those closest to him. He is also sadly missed by his massive extended families in the worlds of youth theatre, professional and amateur theatre. This extends not only across the island of Ireland by the whole world.
Paddy was an educational psychologist, actor, director, father, husband, grandfather. He founded Dublin Youth Theatre in 1977, was President of the International Amateur Drama Association and he co-founded the National Association for Youth Drama, (now Youth Theatre Ireland) in 1980.
In this chat Alan had the opportunity to ask Paddy about the founding of Dublin Youth Theatre, the formation of NAYD, and where he saw youth theatre at the tail end of 2021.
Huge thanks to filmmaker David Christopher Lynch for facilitating this conversation which formed the basis of his short Documentary celebrating 40 years of Youth Theatre Ireland. Thanks to David for sharing his recordings, which form the basis of this edited interview.
Fittingly this interview took place in the then temporary premises of Dublin Youth Theatre in Montague Lane.
Please enjoy this conversation.
You can watch David Christoper Lynch’s documentary here: