He has two successful musicals behind him and another in the offing. Yet Martin Ryan is not a professional writer, but a teacher of maths, computing and electronics at Colaiste Eoin, Youghal, Co Cork.However, when his brother, a professional musician, had an idea for a musical about the Kennedy family he called on Martin to devise the plot and write 'the book' (the technical term for the words for a musical).
This involves researching a mere one hundred years of Kennedy family history as it centred on Patrick Kennedy, John F Kennedy's grandfather, the first Kennedy to emigrant to leave New Ross, Co Wexford.Ryan spent his evenings and spare time researching the Kennedy's. Research done, he wrote 'the book' over the summer. "It went well," he said modestly. Its success encouraged the brothers to embark on another adventure - this time centring on the 1919 world baseball series when the famous match-fixing incident took place.
"This was very bid news in America and featured in a number of films, including The Field of Dreams," says Ryan.The musical, Say It Ain't So, Joe, was put on in the Everyman, Theatre, Cork, last December. In keeping with Ryan's education background, special school rates applied on particular nights.As wee as writing the 'book' for Say It Ain't So, Joe, he co-produced the musical. "I was teaching also I ended up working 14 or 15 hours a day and hardly saw my family for two months."It was all worthwhile in the end. "It went very well," says Ryan, "and, as a result of that, the Everyman is interested in us doing a third one. We're hoping to put it on in November or December this year." So. it'll be another summer at the writing desk.The musical in gestation will probably centre on the story of the mutiny on the Bounty, depending on copyright considerations. The amount of research needed should not be as substantial as for the Kennedy musical, says Ryan, because it centres on a single incident rather than taking place over a long time span.So, where did all this creative and musical talent spring from? Ryan says that his family is not particularly musical. "I play the guitar and the drums...a bit.
But, I wouldn't consider myself a musician."Why are so many teachers involved in creative endeavours? "Teaching is a job where you have to give of yourself to others all of the time," he explains. "Maybe there are time when you fell you want to fulfil some of your own ambitions-otherwise you're running on empty."
