Mark O’Rowe: ‘I couldn’t sacrifice my kids to be a great writer, I balanced the boat’

Ahead of his new play opening next month, the dramatist and screen writer talks about growing up in Tallaght when there was “nothing there” and treading the tightrope of being a great artist or a great parent

Mark O'Rowe's 'Reunion' is on at the Black Box Theatre. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Ciara Dwyer

"A functional family has to be dysfunctional in order to ­survive,” says Dublin playwright Mark O’Rowe. He is talking about his new play ­Reunion which he is also directing. It’s all about family dynamics.

“Say if you’re my sister and you have some very annoying habits. I can call you on all this stuff, but then maybe you won’t be in my life anymore. So, instead I’ll ­accept certain things and choose not to ­acknowledge them.