|
 The
Fortieth West Clare Drama Festival, Féile Dramáiochta Iar-Chláir, had been
scheduled to take place from Saturday, the 3rd to Tuesday, the 13th
of March, 2001, featuring a splendid variety of plays. Unfortunately the
threat of Foot and Mouth Disease resulted in the postponement and scaling
down of the event to five plays in all – four in competition from Kilrush,
Ennis, Castlewood (Cratloe) and Doonbeg. The Winning group was The Ennis
Players who presented “The Lonesome West” by Martin McDonagh. The Best
Actress was Margaret O’Leary from Castlewood, while the Best Actor award
went to John Keane from Doonbeg. Torch Players later treated us to a
splendid performance of “The Gingerbread Lady” by Neil Simon.
The idea of holding a Drama Festival was first mentioned at a meeting of the
Doonbeg Guild of Muintir na Tire and a sub-committee of three was set up to
examine the proposal. That sub-committee first met on Sunday, October 22nd,
1961. A letter from the Secretary of Boher Guild of Muintir na Tire,
Streamstown, county Westmeath, provided information and helpful suggestions
about the organisation and running of a Festival. The sub-committee was
expanded to a six person management committee; Micheál Aghas, Jack Downes,
Joe Hurley, Murt McInerney, Tom O’Gorman, and Fr. Patrick Taaffe, C.C.
Other committees were established to look after various tasks; Reception and
Reservations, Programmes, Stage, and Catering. It was to be a truly
community, co-operative effort.
“The West Clare Drama Festival” was formally opened by an tUasal Sean
O’Ceallaigh, T.D., on Sunday, March 18th, 1962. Incidentally his
son, Bishop Fiachra O’Ceallaigh, O.F.M., Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin
performed the Opening Ceremony 34 years later in 1996.
“Big attendances enjoyed the Festival during the week and general
indications are that the event, organised as part of the Silver jubilee
celebrations of Muintir na Tire, will be an outstanding success.” So we
were informed by “The Clare Champion” of the following Saturday.
Five groups from west Clare staged three-act plays. The Cooraclare Dramatic
Group presented the first performance – a very moving production of “Autumn
Fire” by T.C. Murray. They were followed by the O’Curry Players in “Nano”,
Kilrush Players in “The Money Doesn’t Matter”, St. Patrick’s Dramatic
Society, Slaveen in “The Down Express” and Kilkee Drama group in “Home is
the Hero” by Walter Macken. The Kilkee Group won the Canon Hayes Memorial
Trophy.
|
|
The
admission charges were adults 3/6 (22c) (Bookable), 2/6 (16c); children 1/-
(6c); Season Ticket 10/- (63c).
Traoloch O’hAonghusa, Producer, Taidhbherc na Gaillimhe, was the adjudicator
and he proved to be a tremendous asset. He was completely unselfish with
his time and talents. He enthusiastically discussed drama and drank tea
with the members of the groups into the early hours of the morning. The fee
for his labours was the princely sun of £27.15 including expenses! It was
pre V.A.T. and very much pre-Euro! He returned in November to run a Drama
Course and came back to adjudicate in 1963 and 1969. Tá sé imithe anois ar
slí na firinne. Go ndéana Dia tróchaire ar a anam macanta, flaithiul, uasal
The forty seasons of the
Festival have made available to audiences in West Clare a wonderful variety
of plays – a unique spectrum of Irish Drama in the Twentieth Century, tinted
by many works by internationally renowned authors.
Participants have come
from all over the country from Dundalk and Cork, from Arklow and Mayo, as
well as from Kerry, Sligo, Kildare, Waterford, Tipperary, Limerick, Galway
and Dublin. Friendships have been built up over the years and the familiar
faces appear on stage and are to be seen enjoying the craic at the Festival
Club.
On March 14th, 1982, the
21st West Clare Drama Festival came to a close with a performance
of “Peg O’ My Heart”, presented by Carrick-on-Suir Drama Group before a full
house which included Uachtaran na hEireann, ár gcara agus as gcomharsa, An
Doctuir Padraig O’hIrighile.
You have to be totally
dedicated and more than somewhat mad to get involved in Drama but, when I
tell you that these crazy people have presented to date two hundred and two
different three act plays – the works of authors such as Shakespeare, Chekov,
Pinter, Srindberg, Lorca, Williams, Eliot, Wilde, Cronin, Yeats, Kavanagh,
Synge, Lady Gregory, O’Casey, Macken, D’Alton, Robinson, Sheils, Murray,
McCarthy, Molloy, Leonard, Friel, Bolt, Shaffer, Simon, Tomelty, McMahon,
Murphy, Farrell, Moliere, McDonagh, Roche, Carr and our great friend John B.
Keane and others, in all over three hundred and forty eight productions
including repeats, you realise how wonderful they are and what entertainment
they have provided for us.
the story continues... |
