Robert Bejanishvili, The Metropole Hotel; George Duggan, Cork Crystal; Dr Geoff Gould, Cork Person of Month; Ann-Marie O’Sullivan, AM O’Sullivan PR; and Manus O’Callaghan, Awards Organiser. Photo: Vitaliy Makhnanov

Festival founder named latest Cork Person of the Month

Published: Wed 3 Dec 2025, 2:41 PM

Last updated: Wed 3 Dec 2025, 3:14 PM

Dr Geoff Gould, founder of the West Cork Fit-Up Theatre Festival, received the award in recognition of his outstanding work in bringing professional theatre to rural and isolated communities across West Cork for the past 16 years.

The festival, established by Dr Gould in 2009, is based on the tradition of the travelling ‘fit-up’ theatre companies of the 1950s, which brought performances to rural villages in makeshift venues.

Now in its 16th year, the festival provides communities that have limited access to professional arts with an opportunity to experience the wealth of talent that Irish theatre has to offer.

This year, the festival staged weekly performances in towns, villages, and on islands including Kilcrohane, Glengarriff, Ballydehob, Sherkin Island, Bere Island, and Whiddy Island.

Dr Gould has had a long and distinguished career in theatre. He was the artistic director of the Everyman Palace Theatre from 1996 to 2000. In 2002, he established the Blood in the Alley Theatre Company, which has toured in the UK, Europe, and China. Following the success of the West Cork Fit-Up Theatre Festival, he also established the Blackwater Valley Fit-Up Theatre Festival in 2016 and the West Waterford Fit-Up Theatre Festival in 2017. He also acts as a mentor and advisor to similar festivals in Galway, Clare, and Kerry.

Dr Gould said: “It’s a great honour to be named Cork Person of the Month. The festival is built on the spirit of the travelling actors of the past, and our goal has always been to make professional theatre accessible to everyone, regardless of their location. Seeing audiences in villages and on islands connect with live performance is what makes it all worthwhile, and this award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the work of our entire team.”

Awards Organiser Manus O’Callaghan said Dr Gould’s work has made a remarkable contribution to Cork.

Dr Gould’s name will now go forward alongside 2025’s other Cork Persons of the Month for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year.