From Real-Life Parenting to the Stage: A Moving Play About Raising Children with Autism Comes to Cavan After Galway Sell-Out

Matthew McMahon & Eileen Gomez. The Flowers of May comes to the Ramor Arts Centre February 27th.

From Real-Life Parenting to the Stage: A Moving Play About Raising Children with Autism Comes to Cavan After Galway Sell-Out

Following a sold-out performance in Galway, The Flowers of May arrives at the Ramor Arts Centre, Virginia, Co. Cavan on Friday, February 27th at 8 p.m. as part of its National Tour.

Written by Irish actor Matthew McMahon, the play is inspired by the real-life experiences of both McMahon and fellow performer Eileen Gomez as parents of children with autism. What unfolds on stage is not fiction drawn from imagination alone, but a story shaped by lived experience — the challenges, the misunderstandings, the small victories, and the extraordinary love that defines family life.

Performed by McMahon and Gomez, directed by Emma Saunders, and produced by Two & One Productions, The Flowers of May offers an unfiltered and compassionate look at modern parenthood. It explores the emotional landscape of raising children with additional needs — the pressure to be strong, the fear of getting it wrong, and the quiet resilience that grows in the process.

The Galway performance struck a powerful chord with audiences, selling out and prompting heartfelt conversations long after the curtain fell. Audience members shared their own experiences, recognising their lives reflected back at them on stage.

“This story belongs to so many families,” says McMahon. “We wanted to create something truthful — something that says, ‘You’re not alone.’ The response throughout the tour showed us how much that honesty matters. Families have felt seen, that's what we hoped for.”

While centred on the experience of parenting children with autism, the play resonates far beyond one community. At its heart, The Flowers of May is about love, identity, expectation, and learning to see beauty in a life that may not look the way you first imagined.

The production balances emotional depth with moments of humour and warmth, reflecting the reality of family life in all its complexity.

 Event Details

 Ramor Arts Centre, Virginia, Co. Cavan Friday, February 27th 8:00 p.m. Tickets: https://ramorartscentre.com/