To the drama festival - by bike!
My first introduction to drama/ plays came from Radio Éireann in the late 1950s. Each Sunday night without fail at eight o’clock brought this announcement - ‘ The Sunday night play’ followed by the title of the play, the name of the playwright and “presented by the Radio Éireann players” cue music and the story began to unfold. Steadily the plot became clearer and excitedly I almost lived out the final scenes. After a few months I was well and truly hooked! One of the plays I remember was ‘Autumn Fire’ by T.C. Murray and other plays by M. J. Molloy, Sean O’Casey, J. M. Synge and others.
During my first year in the Vocational School, in Tubbercurry otherwise known as ‘ The Tech’, I got a part in an Irish play, more from my ability to speak Irish rather than acting ability. It was quite enjoyable and when we went to a few ‘Feile Dramaíochta’ or Irish drama festivals I experienced my first adrenalin rush. The stage presentation, the lights, the smell of greasepaint and of course the applause was almost overpowering.
Now at this time the Western Drama Festival was only in its teenage years but its reputation was growing fast. For drama lovers it was the place to be and I was one of them. The bicycle was freshly oiled, the dynamo checked and whether it was wet or dry I made it to ‘curtain up’ as many nights as possible. The festival programme set the scene with a list of groups and synopsis of each play.
The sounds coming from behind the heavy red curtain of hammering and heavy furniture being moved aroused further excitement.
Then it was curtain up and live drama for the night. The groups were superb. The names of Tuam Theatre Guild, Ballyshannon Players, The Phoenix Players and a group from Allenwood, Co. Kildare will always remain in my memory. Of course the adjudicator, neatly turned out in suit and bow tie, lent more intrigue to the evening.
Names I remember are Barry Cassin, Charles Mitchell and indeed David Kelly whom we saw much of in T.V productions later on. The cycle home was tiring but remembering scenes from ‘ The Rainmaker’ or ‘ The Black Stranger’ or ‘Juno and the Paycock’ helped to shorten the road.
Many decades have passed and much has changed but the old excitement is just the same when the house lights go down and the actors take the stage. James McCarrick, Feb 2018