Catherine Mahon-Buckley

Catherine Mahon-Buckley is back to her first love – to perform as an actor. Scary, yes but when Pat Talbot recently gave her Declan Hassett’s script of Sisters, she was so excited and honoured to be part of such an exciting, experiences thought-provoking production.

Recent stage performances include:

Mary in Sisters at the Cork Arts Theatre (Director Pat Talbot); Big Maggie (character Maggie, Director Pat Talbot); Man of La Mancha (Director Marian Wyatt); Plough and the Stars, (Director Marian McCarthy); Cass Maguire (Director June McCarthy); Oliver (Director John O’Flynn).

Catherine has a great love for all aspects of the Performing Arts. Her credits as a director of musicals are (to name a few), the National premiere of “FAME”, “Back to the 80’s”, CATS”, “Les Miserables” and The Little Mermaid. On the drama and theatre side “The Plough and the Stars”, “Odipus Rex”, “Big Maggie” and “Many Young Men of Twenty”, which played to standing ovations each night. Catherine is a teacher and actress and has played many roles, e.g. “Big Maggie”, “Cass Maguire” “Man of La Mancha”, “Oliver”, and “The Plough and the Stars”. She took part in The Young Offenders series on RTE 2. She has directed and produced 29 Pantos at the Everyman Theatre, Cork, plus, National and international Events.

Catherine is very involved in the Education programme in the Performing Arts. , Artistic Director of CADA Performing Arts, on the Executive Board of Cork International Choral Festival, a member of Actor’s Equity, Drama League of Ireland, and The Irish Film and Television Academy.

Her recent film credits include the direction of “Unsung Hero”—a salute to one of Seven Signatories Joseph Murphy, to honour the 100^th year of his death. In 2021 she directed “The Man in the Uniform”, produced by Maurice Dineen, screenwriter Elizabeth Scanlan which was launched on December 5^th 2021.

As Artistic Director of Ireland’s most progressive centre, CADA Performing Arts, Catherine has created a centre of excellence in Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre, Music for Junior and Leaving Certificate, Singing, and Communication. CADA Performing Arts has produced many great performers and business people of today. Catherine was honoured to receive the National Award for Inspiring Woman for the Art. She received the Judges Special Merit Award at the Cork Business Awards for over 25 years of dedication to the Arts in Cork, particularly as Director of the annual Christmas pantomime at the Everyman Theatre. She was nominated and won ‘Best in Arts, Events and Tourism’ from the Cork Business Association.2020.

During the pandemic, Catherine was very active keeping Theatre and the Performing Arts Alive. She received ‘A Pride of Cork Award’ The staff of CADA Performing Arts received an award from the Cork Business Community.