Tubbercurry will be transformed for confined drama finals
Preparations are now in full swing for the All Ireland ( Confined) Drama Finals which will be hosted by the Western Drama Festival and taking place over 9 nights from 21st to 29th April 2017 in St. Brigid’s Hall Theatre Tubbercurry.
The new website www. westerndramafestival. com has recently been launched - do check it out and help spread the word about the festival!
Committee members are busy making plans for the festival so it is a special event to remember. The Three Act Festival will not run this year in March.
However all eyes will be on the Amateur Drama Council website to observe how all the groups in the confined section are getting on as they perform in the festivals all around Ireland.
The Western Drama Festival committee are looking forward to hosting the nine groups who are the ultimate finalists! Together with the WDF committee 9 dedicated drama enthusiasts will act as group liaison persons before and during the festival to assist the groups who have qualified for the finals.
The draw on the 8 April is a special day for the qualifying groups who find out which night they will perform their play
Western Drama Festival is renowned for its hospitality. We are grateful to the volunteers, our liaison persons; aptly named CAIRDE the first point of contact person to assist the groups personally with their queries and ensure they have a really good experience of the festival!
CAIRDE are as follows: Jimmy Coleman ( Team Leader) Loretta Neary, Mary Doohan, Debbie Feeney, Mary Molloy, Eileen Murtagh, P J Brennan, Ann Marie Hegarty and Mary Kelly.
On the 8 April 2017 at the draw in Tubbercurry, the group will be introduced to their liaison person. We very much look forward to meeting all the groups on the day. We in WDF will ensure each group’s experience in the festival is first rate. Our designated team for the Draw are Mary Collins Mary Kelly and Mary Walsh.
We know that the key focus for groups is performing their play in the All Ireland competition, and that focus is firmly on that. However, because this is a special occasion in our town, we have organised some fringe events in tandem with the finals. Ballina Drama Group who are good friends and supporters of the WDF are busy working on a play reading to be performed during the festival. It is a real fun piece which will be performed on Saturday 22 April in venue TBC.
An exhibition of art is also being facilitated by local Artist Claire Doohan. Claire’s work with the residents of Baileys Nursing Home is a really unique project. Last year their paintings were exhibited in the local library in Tubbercurry, this would have been for most of those people their very first creative opportunity.
Claire and Rita Flannery are also assisting to organise an exhibition by local artists which we very much look forward to.
Tubbercurry will be dramatically transformed for the festival with a theatrical ambience. For some weeks, before and during the week of the Finals the town will be bedecked in colour and interesting installations. The organising committee are deeply indebted to the Tubbercurry and District Credit Union for their support of this project.
Ursula Brennan our ambassador is leading on this project meeting the businesses who are coming on board making their shop windows available to the Western Drama Festival where drama will centre stage
Tubbercurry Chamber of Commerce and Tidy Towns committee are assisting with the committee’s endeavours.
The renowned Western Drama Festival Club is a special experience each night of the finals in the welcoming Killorans Traditional Bar in Teeling St. The gifted Peadar Conway is leading on organising this. Indeed Peadar who is famed for his approach to such entertainment sessions has already’ put the word out’ and some very special guests are bound to drop in! At the drop of a hat stories and recitations are told, music is played and the ‘ talk about the drama’ will go on late into the night.
The WDF committee includes Billy Kilgannon, Chairperson, Oliver Flannery, Brendan McGowan, Sean Johnston, Benny Henry, Sean Armstrong Eileen Davey, Jimmy Coleman, Eileen Kelly, Patricia McCarrick, Ursula Brennan, Collette Cooke, Anne Cooke, Tom Walsh, Michelle McKim, Oonagh Murtagh, Una Callaghan, John McCarrick, Tom Callanan, Breege Colleran and Kevin Colleran.
Indeed, running the All Ireland Three Act confined Finals is very exciting for Tubbercurry and South Sligo as it is a very high profile event, which offers a wonderful opportunity to showcase Tubbercurry and its environs nationally, our excellent hospitality, and great appreciation of drama!