Seamus O’Rourke

Seamus O’Rourke (born 1965) is an Irish theatre director, actor, and author from County Leitrim. He is widely known for his work on stage and in independent film, as well as for his humorous writings about rural Irish life. O’Rourke has written and performed numerous plays and one-man shows that celebrate the quirks of small-town life, and he has published acclaimed memoirs including Standing in Gaps and Leaning on Gates. An award-winning performer and storyteller, O’Rourke’s engaging style and authentic voice have made him one of the most recognizable figures in contemporary Irish theatre and literature.

 

Early Life and Education

Seamus O’Rourke was born in 1965 and raised in the parish of Carrigallen in south County Leitrim, Ireland. He grew up on his family’s small farm as one of four children in a rural community. O’Rourke attended Carrigallen Vocational School, but he admitted he “didn’t like school” and left formal education at age 15. He immediately took up a carpentry apprenticeship and worked as a carpenter for nearly 30 years, an occupation that would later inspire characters and situations in his writing. In his youth, O’Rourke was also an active sportsman, playing Gaelic football at the senior inter-county level for Leitrim, until injuries curtailed that pursuit.

Despite an early interest in drama, O’Rourke was initially too shy to get involved in theatre. His first break in acting came in his mid-20s, when a new local theatre opened in Carrigallen. At about 24 years old he was invited by the community drama group to help construct a stage set and to take on a small part in a production. O’Rourke recalls that once he stepped on stage “the magic began,” as the experience revealed his passion for performing. This opportunity marked the beginning of his long involvement with theatre and storytelling.

 

Theatre Career

O’Rourke spent the late 1980s and 1990s honing his craft in amateur theatre, primarily with the Corn Mill Theatre Group in Carrigallen. He progressed from bit parts to leading roles and also ventured into directing plays within the amateur circuit. Over time he became renowned for his comedic timing and his ability to portray authentic rural Irish characters. After about a decade of acting, O’Rourke tried his hand at playwriting in the early 2000s, writing material that he could perform himself. He discovered a talent for writing drama and found an appreciative audience for his original work. In 2012, O’Rourke made the decision to leave carpentry entirely and become a full-time writer and performer. This transition to professional theatre proved successful, as he quickly developed a loyal following. “As an actor I’m not waiting for the phone to ring; I’m creating my own work and getting it out there,” he noted in a 2013 interview.

Many of O’Rourke’s stage works are noted for their humor and heart, reflecting the rhythms of rural life in Leitrim. He both writes and often stars in his productions. His notable full-length plays include Ride On! (a comedy about a charity Honda bike run, first produced in 2012), Dig (2006), Down, and The Trappe Family. He has also written and performed in a series of one-man shows that have toured Ireland, such as The Sand Park, Padraig Potts’ Guide to Walking, Indigestion, My Aunt Bee, and From Under the Bed. These works, often set in rural towns, blend comedy with poignant reflections and have cemented O’Rourke’s reputation as a gifted storyteller of Irish country life. In 2022 he premiered a new one-man play titled The Handyman, centered on a small-town caretaker facing big changes.

O’Rourke’s theatrical style is characterized by engaging, conversational monologues and richly drawn characters. He frequently performs his own writing, connecting directly with audiences through his folksy yet incisive delivery. By the 2010s, he was touring Ireland regularly with his self-penned shows, often to sold-out venues, and becoming a beloved figure on the Irish arts circuit. In addition to his original works, O’Rourke has occasionally acted in plays by other writers. Notably, he portrayed the role of Thomas in Mark Doherty’s play Trad with the Livin’ Dred Theatre Company in 2019, a performance that earned him critical acclaim and a national award nomination. Throughout his career, O’Rourke’s contributions have been credited with bringing authentic rural voices to Irish theatre, a niche he proudly occupies. The Irish Independent has highlighted that “rural Ireland isn’t well-represented in the media and arts,” and O’Rourke’s work explicitly aims to fill that gap by telling the stories of ordinary people in country settings.

 

Film and Screen Work

Beyond the stage, Seamus O’Rourke has appeared in a number of Irish independent films and screen projects. He made his feature film debut with a supporting role in No Party for Billy Burns (2017), a rural drama by director Padraig Conaty. In 2018, O’Rourke co-starred in Locus of Control, a dark comedy film, playing a jaded schoolteacher alongside actor John Morton. He later took on the character “Packie” in the 2020 drama A Bend in the River, which followed an Irish writer returning from New York. O’Rourke also appeared in Advent (2023), a comedy-drama about a novelist plagued by eccentric villagers. These screen roles, while relatively few, have allowed O’Rourke to expand his storytelling to film audiences. In addition, he has made guest appearances on Irish television and radio programs—often reciting his own comic monologues or participating in interviews about his work. O’Rourke’s distinctive Leitrim accent and wry delivery have become familiar to many through viral video sketches and regular spots on RTÉ Radio 1, where he has been described as an “unofficial poet in residence” for rural commentary.

 

Writing and Publications

In parallel with his acting career, Seamus O’Rourke has established himself as an author. He first ventured into print with A Lock of Poems, Recitations and Good Ones, a collection of his original poetry and comic recitations published in 2019. This compilation captured the humorous essence of his spoken-word pieces that had already been popular online and on radio. O’Rourke’s writing often draws directly from his own upbringing and community, blending wit with nostalgia and candid self-reflection.

O’Rourke gained wider literary recognition with the publication of his memoir Standing in Gaps. Originally released in 2020, Standing in Gaps is an autobiographical account of his childhood and coming-of-age in rural Leitrim. The memoir chronicles his life from birth through his teenage years, painting a portrait of Irish country life in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. It was praised for its “humour-filled observations” and its ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary experiences of a small farming community. Standing in Gaps resonated strongly with readers in Ireland – particularly those from rural backgrounds – and became a popular success.

Building on that success, O’Rourke published a sequel memoir titled Leaning on Gates in 2024. Leaning on Gates picks up where the first book left off, following the “innocent Leitrim lad” into young adulthood. In this volume, O’Rourke recounts his experiences in the 1980s and early ’90s – including forays beyond Leitrim to New York and Dublin – and his eventual return home to embrace the “duller than dishwater” comforts of rural life. Like its predecessor, the memoir mixes hilariously absurd anecdotes with moments of introspection, such as O’Rourke’s frank reflections on pub culture, youthful misadventures, and finding his footing in the local theatre scene. Both Standing in Gaps and Leaning on Gates have been celebrated for their authentic voice and storytelling. Upon their joint re-release in 2024, a reviewer described O’Rourke as “one of the country’s best loved theatre makers,” noting that his memoirs offer a candid window into the “maddest, wildest, most endearing” characters of Leitrim – including O’Rourke himself. By 2025, Leaning on Gates had become a regular presence on Irish best-seller lists, confirming O’Rourke’s crossover appeal as an author.

In addition to books, O’Rourke continues to produce written and spoken content. He frequently shares new poems and monologues on social media and contributes to radio programs. His pieces such as “The Hard Border” (a satirical Brexit-themed poem) and “Locked Down in Leitrim” (on pandemic life) have garnered hundreds of thousands of views online. This multimedia storytelling has further enhanced his profile, making him a familiar voice of rural Irish wit and wisdom.

 

Awards and Honors

Seamus O’Rourke’s contributions have earned recognition both in the amateur drama circuit and on the national stage. Some of his major awards and honors include:

• Best Actor, RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival (2010): O’Rourke won the Best Actor award for his lead performance as “John” in the Corn Mill Theatre Group’s production of Shining City at Ireland’s top amateur drama finals.
• Best Supporting Actor, RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival (2011): The following year, he received the All-Ireland award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for playing “Pato Dooley” in a stage production of Martin McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
• Irish Times Theatre Awards – Best Actor Nominee (2019): O’Rourke was nominated for Best Actor at the 23rd Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards, in recognition of his portrayal of Thomas in Trad (Livin’ Dred Theatre Company’s 2019 production). This nomination placed him alongside some of Ireland’s leading stage actors and highlighted his seamless transition from amateur to professional theatre.
• Other Recognitions: Throughout his career, O’Rourke and the Corn Mill Theatre Group have won numerous awards at drama festivals around Ireland, reflecting his talent in acting, directing, and playwriting. He has also been invited to appear on flagship Irish television programs (such as The Late Late Show) and to open theatre festivals, underscoring his status as an esteemed figure in the arts community. His memoirs and spoken-word performances have further cemented his reputation, with Standing in Gaps and Leaning on Gates earning critical praise and popular success.

 

Personal Life

Seamus O’Rourke continues to reside in County Leitrim, maintaining close ties to the community that inspires much of his work. He is married and is a father of three children. Despite his fame in Ireland’s cultural circles, O’Rourke has remained grounded in rural life – often joking that he’s happiest when doing “very normal things” back home. This genuine connection to his roots is evident in both his personality and his creative output. As of 2025, O’Rourke remains actively engaged in writing, performing, and touring. Through his diverse roles as director, actor, poet and author, he continues to share the laughs and lessons of Irish country life with audiences far and wide.