MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Patricia Mahon

An interview with screenwriter Patricia Mahon regarding the Worldfest - Houston Writing Competition.

A: The title is THE ABBEY YARD. It is a TRUE ghost story or a haunting ... if you will.

In 1915 a dead man appears to his young daughter in an ancient Irish cemetery. The man's return to the town sparks controversy and panic. News of the sighting unearths murderous plots, spiteful love triangles, and the clash of Christian ethics and Irish faerylore.

The presiding image of the story, the Duiske Abbey, is a testament to Irish monastic life. It is one of Ireland’s finest abbeys and the scene of one of its most notorious massacres when 12 monks were slaughtered on the main altar at the behest of Elizabeth I (1559-1603). Legend has it that the white-hooded, Cistercian monks continued to chant as they lost their heads to the sword.

The unnerving chant of the ancient monks pervades the story. It rings in the ears of the townspeople along with the forbidden secrets that swirl within in the forbidden “Yard” about the lives and deaths of its inhabitants. Those lives span centuries and sometimes walk and talk in the dark, Irish night where ghosts confront their oppressors and oppressors confront their own ghosts.

A: I entered this contest because it seemed to respect period pieces and historical efforts. The Abbey Yard took over 15 years to write and much work and research went into it.

I entered Slam Dance as well, but not before tightening and revising the script and altering the structure dramatically. Slam Dance gave me very high marks for my dialogue and characterization.

A: I am obviously satisfied with the judging. I was unable to attend the ceremony due to a family illness (my brother is very ill and is waiting for a kidney transplant). I have yet to receive my prize.

A: I did not get any specific feedback on the script other than the very top prize ... a Platinum Remi Award.

A: I have not been contacted by anyone.

A: I have been writing poetry since the age of nine. I have won several poetry competitions, including the Scottish International Open Poetry Competition. I have also had my poetry published in various academic journals. I am a produced playwright (Los Angeles). I have studied literature extensively including courses in Oxford, mostly on WB Yeats. I also have a degree in Irish Literature from Trinity Collge in Dublin.

A: I live in Playa del Rey right in the city of Los Angeles.

A: I have already completed a wonderful comedy that has made the final rounds of several contests. I am just finishing another contemporary story which is quitecompelling. It continues my fascination with life, death, and the places in between. It will be my finest effort to date.

Posted Thursday, May 19, 2005