Speech at the launch of the 75th Anniversary of Western Drama Festival
It is great to see such a big gathering here and I’d like to thank Beezneez for allowing us, as it were, to piggyback on their event for our festival launch.
Last year 2017 was a very special year in the festival’s history – in that we hosted the All Ireland Finals for the third time, and it’s been generally accepted, nationally that this has been the most outstanding confined finals hosted. This year we celebrate
75 years of affording amateur drama groups an avenue to show what they can do.
75 years of competition and results 75 years of entertaining and enthralling audiences, laughter and tears.
75 years of St. Brigid’s Hall, now theatre, playing host to groups from all over this Island.
75 years of adjudicators, some who began their adjudicating careers here.
The Drama festival and community has led the way and contributed so much to the local social fabric and to the amateur drama movement in all of Ireland.
In 1943 four people came together and in no particular order, they were Sean O Dowd, Dr. J.A. Flannery, Alfie Rochford and Matt Devine, and came up with the idea of the Drama Festival and on Saturday 27 th February 1944 the curtain went up on the very first festival of it’s kind on the Island.
From this first festival, has grown a National Amateur Drama movement. In 1953 the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland was formed and it’s first President or Chairman was Matt Devine and this festival has had unbroken service on the National Executive of ADCI ever since. Tubbercurry is a town of firsts.:
The First Drama Festival
The First Chairman of ADCI
I don’t know if ye were watching the IFTA awards on TV last night, but how wonderful it was to see our own Dearbhle Walsh once again receive the gong for best Director. An IFTA to add to her EMMY & BAFTA. So from Tubbercurry to Dearbhla Walsh, congratulations.
Linked to that is our official opening on Friday 2nd March. The person with the honour of turning the page on the next chapter and officially opening the festival is Dearbhla’s dad Joe Walsh. How appropriate. The Walsh family have been deeply involved with this festival, the legendry Maeve of course, things not been quite the same since you left, but different. Joe has been involved with Charlestown Players and Phoenix Players.
I am proud to be from Tubbercurry and absolutely bursting with pride to be part of this Drama Festival.
Thank you
Brendan Mc Gowan
It is an honour for me to be involved with the Western Drama Festival in this it’s 75 th year. As a committee member, I feel an onus to ensure the continues success that the festival has enjoyed by continually striving to give our loyal audiences and participating groups the best possible Festival experience.