Drama group vows theatre will rise like a phoenix

August 1995

LIKE a phoenix from the ashes, the Ivy Leaf Theatre will rise again from its fire damaged remains and continue as a drama centre according to Castleisland Drama Group chairman, Jerome Stack.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, but an electrical fault is thought to have sparked off the fire which caused extensive damage to the 200-year-old building on Thursday afternoon. The roof and the interior were badly damaged.

Castleisland Garda Sgt Michael Coote said that he does not believe that the fire was started maliciously.

“There was no sign of any break in. Considerable damage was done as a result of the fire. We are still trying to determine what actually caused it,” he said.

Castleisland Fire Service Station officer, Donie Coffey, was in charge at the scene of the fire.

“When we arrived, there was smoke billowing out from under the slates. We had to determine where the fire actually was. Some of the members entered the building with building apparatus and the fire was extinguished in under an hour,” he said.

Mr Coffey, who was one of the 12 firemen at the scene, said the fire started in the stage area of the building. Three units of the fire brigade attended the scene - two local units and one from Tralee.

The Ivy Leaf Theatre in Castleisland has been home to the Castleisland Drama Group since 1982. Every year, it hosts a major county wide drama festival.

Castleisland Drama Group chairman, Jerome Stack, told The Kerryman that the theatre would be rebuilt in time for the opening of their November production.

“We were absolutely devastated at what happened but we have to look forward. The four walls of the theatre are still very solid, but we will have to get the roof replaced and carry out repairs inside. Like the phoenix, we will rise again from the ashes. And we will certainly have a lot of ashes to rise from,” he said.

The Ivy Leaf Theatre is owned by the Church of Ireland. In 1982, the drama group raised £40,000 locally to convert the building into a theatre. Every year, the drama group puts on three shows and in March of year, eight performances are staged there as part of the Kerry Drama Festival.