Bursary in memory of Derry man aims to help aspiring young actors

The Brendan O’Connor Bursary aims to help emerging actors in need of financial assistance.

Brendan, a father of three, died in a road traffic accident in Derry in 2016.

The new scheme is the brainchild of his daughter, Orla, who is a casting director based in Edinburgh.

She says her father was always hugely interest in her work and she felt it fitting to continue his name with this bursary.

Strange Town Theatre Company, in Edinburgh, will manage the fund. Hand in hand with Orla O’Connor Casting, they will select young people of promise who hope to apply to drama school for training.

Orla says these costs can often be prohibitive with both application fees and travel costs involved in attending auditions.

Many young people, she says, are not in a position to consider this as a career as the first step takes such initial investment.

The hope is that this bursary will make a difference to young people who may ordinarily not get the chance.

Orla told the ‘Journal’: “It should not only be the economically privileged that graduate from drama school. The sole focus must become talent. It should be the only ticket of admission.

“No more than now have we needed a push towards this kind of accessibility. With The Brendan O’Connor Bursary, we make a small attempt to level that playing field of access.”

Ruth Hollyman, Strange Town, added: “Applying to drama school can be very expensive and this bursary will give young people a chance to overcome that first hurdle and open up the opportunity for them to receive training that they otherwise may not have access to.”

Tallulah Greive, Strange Town’s patron, says the bursary is “incredibly generous” and will make such a difference for Strange Town’s young people.

“It will support those who would struggle to pay the fees in accessing incredible life-changing opportunities,” she added.