The Traveller families who live in Saint Rita’s are on borrowed time. In just a week they will be evicted by the local council, threatening not only their homes but also their history and the stories that have shaped them.
Charlene, a proud young beoir suffers a humiliating betrayal. Her mother, Kate, is left to navigate unbearable loss while holding the family together. Her cousin, Sheena, strives to find her place in a new environment that is quick to dismiss her. Her uncle Tommy fights despair as his teenage son spirals out of control.
As eviction day draws closer, the families struggle to preserve their dignity finding strength in one another as they navigate an unknown future. Unflinching, Contentious Spaces is a haunting story about identity and loyalty, shame and resilience, grief and love, and the defiant power of voices that refuse to be silenced.
About the Author :
Rosaleen McDonagh is a writer, playwright, performer, columnist for The Irish Times and a member of Aosdána. Her plays include The Baby Doll Project , She's Not Mine , Rings , The Prettiest Proud Boy and Mainstream . She is the author of Unsettled (Skein Press, 2021), which was a finalist for the Michel Déon Prize, Dalkey Literary Award and AnPost Irish Book Awards. Rosaleen holds a BA, two MPhils from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from Northumbria University. She is a board member of Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre and was appointed a Human Rights Commissioner in June 2020.
Rosaleen McDonagh is a writer, playwright, performer and a member of Aosdána. Her plays include The Baby Doll Project, She’s Not Mine, Rings, The Prettiest Proud Boy and Mainstream. Her most recent commissions were Walls and Windows, followed by Backbone for the Abbey Theatre and Context for Pavee Point, which loosely documents the forty-year history of Pavee Point. She is part of the Navigator Series by Fishamble for 2026. She is the author of Unsettled (Skein Press, 2021) and Contentious Spaces (Skein Press,2026). Rosaleen holds a BA, two MPhils from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from Northumbria University. She was reappointed a Human Rights Commissioner in June 2025 and is a member of the Arts Council of Ireland.
