Play directed by Carnew’s Kieran into drama finals
A SOUTH Wicklow drama director is celebrating after his latest stage show qualifed for the prestigious All-Ireland Drama Finals.
Kieran Tyrrell from Carnew and now living in Tinahely directs ‘Agnes of God’, presented by Bunclody-Kilmyshall Drama Group, the only group in Wexford to qualify this year.
A seasoned director, Kieran has previously scooped awards for Best Director in Wexford and Carnew and Best Wexford Director in New Ross. The group itself has also won a variety of audience and magic moment in theatre awards.
Kieran has many years of involvement in drama to his credit, and joined Kilrush Drama Group in 1993 appearing in their production that year of Factory Girls.
He later played a number of roles with Tinahely Drama Group, including The Chastitute, One Last White Horse and The Cavalcaders.
In 2010 Kieran wrote a full length play entitled Dwyer’s , which he also directed, and it was performed at a number of venues to popular acclaim. In 2013 he featured in the Kilrush production of Our Town on the festival circuit. That same year, he wrote his second play The Beatitudes and this play was staged by Kilrush Drama Group as their entry in the All Ireland one-act festival circuit.
This is the third consecutive year that Kieran is directing the Bunclody group’s play for entry on the festival circuit. He made an outstanding debut as our director in 2015 with Stolen Child winning several Best Director Awards.
He was also one of three nominees that year for the Best Director Award at The All-Ireland Finals in Athlone.
Last year with Moonshine he also won a number of Best Director Awards on the circuit. The play won three festivals and qualified for Athlone.
The group will compete against eight other finalists in Athlone in the nine nights from May 4 - 12.
Throughout the week RTE Radio One cover the finals and review each performance daily. The Abbey theatre also select one group to perform their play in the National Theatre on the Peacock stage.
The real drama will be on the awards night on May 13 when the category and overall winners are announced. A CARNEW man found in the possession of a knife and scissors told gardaí the knife was for ‘ hunting rabbits’, Arklow District Court has heard.
Noel Hogan of 28 Emmet Place, Carnew was charged with possession of a knife or sharp implement and possession of a flick knife on September 16, 2016 at Tombreane, Carnew.
On Wednesday, April 19, the court heard that following a search of Hogan’s person, Sergeant Roberts recovered the items. It was also said that Hogan claimed he used the small ‘army knife’ for hunting rabbits.
Judge Kennedy said that it would be helpful to know exactly the type of knife that was in question and he was told that it had a three inch blade.
The court heard that Hogan is currently serving a prison sentence for previous convictions. He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years in his own bond of €100. A MAN was handed a custodial sentence at Arklow District Court after he was caught driving while over legal alcohol limit for the third time.
Tomasz Strana of Briggs Lane was charged with committing the offence on July 9, 2016, at Briggs Lane.
A reading of 32mg of alcohol to 100ml breath was given in court on Wednesday, April 19.
The court heard that the defendant had been driving to his friend’s house for something to eat when he was stopped.
Judge David Kennedy noted the two previous convictions and said that he could not be lenient. He said that he had never before imposed a custodial sentence on someone for drink driving but, as this was the third offence, the legislation leaves it open to impose such.
‘ There are too many people drink driving on the roads and getting a slap on the wrist for it,’ he said.
Judge Kennedy sentenced Strana to three months’ imprisonment and also imposed a three-year driving ban as well as handing him a two-year ban for a charge of driving without insurance.