Philo, a play by Peter Sheridan

Philo works at the day centre for old folks. She helps prepare the dinners and calls out the bingo numbers. She is the life and soul of the place. Her boss is Sister Rosaleen, who depends on Philo for everything. Little does the nun know that Philo is in crisis and about to head to Liverpool on a mission.

Philo’s eldest son, Jack, won’t stop robbing cars. She can’t live with the possibility that he will knock someone down and injure them. In desperation, she takes the boat across the Irish Sea to find him and bring him back. Jack’s father lives in Liverpool, and she now believes that his intervention may be Jack’s last chance at redemption.

Sister Rosaleen cannot hide her delight at Philo’s speedy return, despite the bad news that Jack’s father could not be found. The nun decides to throw herself into the centre of Philo’s family crisis. The impact on Jack is profound, and he stops robbing cars, at least in the short term.

The relationship between Philo and Sister Rosaleen deepens. Having someone she can talk to enables Philo to face up to something in her past that has haunted her. Sister Rosaleen, too, is not without her secrets, and when Philo finally demands the truth from her about her past, Sister Rosaleen comes clean for the first time in her life. The result is that these two women must now face up to one another and decide where this relationship is heading.

The play stars Neilí Conroy as Philo and Niamh McGrath as Sister Rosaleen.