ˈæftɚɹ ɐ lˈɔŋ ˈæbsəns æz ɐ plˈeɪɹaɪt, ɹˈɑːtʃ ɹˈoʊt lˈeɪ mˌiː dˌaʊn sˈɔftli, sˈɛt ɪn ɐ tɹˈævəlɪŋ bˈɑːksɪŋ ɹˈɪŋ "sˈʌmwɛɹ ɪn ˈaɪɚlənd", wˌɪtʃ ɹᵻsˈiːvd ɪts fˈɜːst pɚfˈoːɹməns æt ðə pˈiːkɑːk θˈiəɾɚɹ ɪn dˈʌblɪn ɪn noʊvˈɛmbɚ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt .
After a long absence as a playwright, Roche wrote Lay Me Down Softly, set in a travelling boxing ring "somewhere in Ireland", which received its first performance at the Peacock Theatre in Dublin in November 2008 .