Clare McMahon

Clare McMahon grew up in Carrickfergus, County Antrim. She first discovered theatre and the performing arts through the Speech & Drama festival at the town hall. At 13 she joined The Rainbow Factory, Youth Action and spent most weekends rehearsing plays. At 18 she attended Central School of Speech & Drama and graduated with BA Hons Acting. She has worked as an actor across the UK and Ireland including The West End, The Almeida and Edinburgh Festival. 

In 2017 her debut play SHAKESPEARE'S WOMEN sold out its run at the Lyric Theatre Belfast before an NI Tour. In 2018 she was awarded the Patricia Leggett Scholarship to attend The Lir Academy at Trinity College Dublin and achieved a distinction in her MFA Playwriting. In 2018 she was one of Fishamble: The New Play Company's ‘A Play for Ireland’ artists in conjunction with the Lyric and in 2019 was one of The Lyric's New Playwrights Programme chosen writers. 

Her play THE GAP YEAR had a three week run on the main stage of the Lyric Belfast in 2022. THE GAP YEAR was previously presented in New York as part of 1^st Irish Festival 'Vital Voices' programme and in the Lyric Theatre's Listen At The Lyric Programme. 

Clare's most recent play I AM MAURA performed at Belfast's Children's Festival and the Lyric Belfast in March 2023. Other credits include LILY a 360 virtual reality film for Commedia of Errors, which she forms one half of. She is currently under commission with Kabosh Theatre, Commedia of Errors and was recently one of the Abbey Theatre’s commemoration awardees. She lives in Belfast with her husband and her plants.