The Martin McDonagh story began in Galway in 1996, when the Druid company premiered The Beauty Queen of Leenane. The first of what became known as the young author's Leenane Trilogy, it went on to conquer London, New York, Sydney, Toronto and many other centres of world theatre. Something in its macabre, emotional story and in the creative quality of its writing clearly touches international nerves. Festooned with top awards, it has now embarked on a Druid/Royal Court tour of Ireland and the UK, and opens at the Gaiety, Dublin next week. Anna Manahan (right) resumes the role she famously created, and director Garry Hynes, controller of the juggernaut, again plays her indispensable part. It is, by any standards, a major event.