The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
The Country Boy is returning to Beaufort – after 25 years away
MANY painstaking hours of rehearsals are coming to a finale in Beaufort right now as the local drama group counts down the minutes to its staging of ‘The Country Boy’, a play by John Murphy. The staging coincides with an important milestone as it marks 25 years since Beaufort Drama Group first performed it.
The anniversary performance takes place at the Beaufort Community Centre for four nights (December 4, 5, 7 and 8), and productions by the Beaufort group are always very well received by the community. The proceeds raised from this year’s show will go to the Killorglin Branch of Kerry Mental Health Services. Padraig Clifford and his sister, Mary Nolan, starred in the production 25 years ago when it was produced by their late father, John. The late Debbie Joy was also part of that first production.
“We’ve been at it since the start of September, rehearsing three or four nights a week. We look forward to it, especially the closer it gets. There is a buzz to it for sure. It’s very well supported in Beaufort and by people in the surrounding parishes of Killorglin and Killarney,” Padraig said.
‘The Country Boy’ is a com- edy-drama set in a small Irish farmhouse in Mayo. Its themes are a traditional take on the Irish psyche and the longing to escape through the freedoms of emigration. It tells the story of a young man named Curly, who lives with his parents but dreams of going to the US, where his brother resides. But the play also exposes the harsh realities of alcoholism, human tensions and homesickness.
Joining Padraig and Mary in the cast are Noel O’Sullivan, Rose Mangan, David O’Shea and Lorraine O’Shea. Admission prices are €10 for adults and €5 for students. This is an anniversary performance not to be missed.