The Rathmines & Rathgar Musical Society (or the R&R as it is affectionately known) has been a vibrant part of Dublin's musical landscape for 100 years. From its beginnings on the cusp of the Great War, the story of the R&R is interwoven with the development of modern Ireland - through 1916 and the Civil War, the Second World War, and the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger.
Since its foundation in 1913, the R&R has striven to maintain and pursue only the most professional standards of theatrical production. To this day, the Society remains amateur in status, while at the same time engaging the very best professionals for its production team and orchestra. Although inextricably linked to Gilbert & Sullivan operas - as Myles Dungan points out in his crisply written history - the Society has also mounted many memorable musicals over the years, most notable among them The Merry Widow, Fiddler on the Roof and My Fair Lady.
If You Want To Know Who We Are... traces the internal politics of the R&R, its often turbulent relationship with theatre managements, and its evolution, along with general changes in Dublin life and society. At the end of its first century, it is still going strong, a familiar and beloved part of the city's cultural infrastructure.
About the Author:
Myles Dungan is an historian and well-known radio broadcaster with RTE Radio 1. He currently presents 'The History Show'. He presented the 'Drivetime' programme on Radio 1 for twelve years and also presented the RTE arts programme 'Rattlebag' from 2000 to 2006.
He is the author of a number of books on various historical topics. These include Irish Voices from the Great War (1995), They Shall Grow Not Old (1997), The Theft of the Irish Crown Jewels (2003), How the Irish Won the West (2005), The Captain and the King: William O'Shea, Parnell and Late Victorian Ireland (2009) and Conspiracy: Irish Political Trials (2010).
In 2007 Myles received a Fulbright Scholarship to study at UC Berkeley and gained a PhD in history from Trinity College Dublin in 2012. He is a board member of the inaugural Hay/Kells Festival 2013.
