BUSY SCHEDULE Pictured are some of the committee of the Claremorris Drama and Fringe Festival 2017 pictured with the promotions for upcoming plays at the press launch in the Dalton Inn Hotel, Claremorris, front, from left: Carmel Glynn, (The Birds); Anne Maloney, (Fringe Festival); Breda Walsh, (The Third Polic3man); Mary Murphy, (Abigail’s Party) and Linda Beirne, secretary. Back, from left: Liam Newman, (The Odd Couple); Pat Walsh, (The Colleen Bawn); John Farragher, (The Cripple of Inishmaan); Andrew Warrington, (Agnes of God), Michael Brennan, sponsor of the opening night, (Juno and the Paycock; Pat Noone, President (the night alive); and Jimmy Walsh (The Blackbird). Pic: Michael Donnelly
Michael Commins
NEIGHBOURS Kiltimagh will be much to the fore on Thursday night, March 9, when they have the honour of being the first group to perform at the annual Claremorris Drama Festival in the Town Hall Theatre.
The Clann Machua Drama Group from Kiltimagh will perform the Seán O’Casey classic, Juno and Paycock, with curtain-up at 8pm. Strong support is confidently predicted from Kiltimagh on the night as the area rallies behind the drama group who have opted for the drama circuit this year.
Tubbercurry native, Brendan McGowan, President Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, will preside at the official opening at 7pm on Thursday night. Brendan has been involved in the amateur drama movement for well over twenty five years. The Western Drama Festival, of which he is secretary, will host the forthcoming All Ireland Confined finals in April.
Peter McCallig, chairman of the Claremorris Festival Committee, says they are looking forward to ten great nights of drama in Claremorris. “Patrons will be delighted with the new-look and new seating in the Town Hall Theatre. Everything is in place for a truly special festival of drama this year.
“We are delighted to welcome back old favourites and some new groups as well. I would especially like to thank Mary Esler for all her work in co-ordinating the Fringe Festival this time and also Patsy Kelly and Michael Prendergast for their help with it as well.
“John Corless, who was the person who started the Fringe Festival which has been such a success alongside the main festival, has been so busy with the Town Hall Theatre that he just had not the time to devote to it this time. Mary and friends have come on board to ensure that we have another enjoyable fringe festival.”
Hospitality
Peter, speaking at the press night in the Dalton Inn Hotel, last week, also extended thanks to the Ladies Committee for their tremendous work and the hospitality that has become legendary among visiting groups to Claremorris all down the years.
He also had words of thanks for Scottish native Jimmy Burns who is coordinating a special art and photo exhibition during the festival and for councillors Richard Finn and Tom Connolly for their continued and valued support for Claremorris Drama Festival.
The 2017 Festival features ten plays, six in the Open and four in the Confined category. After the Kiltimagh group present their show on opening night, next up on Friday night are the Lifford Players from Donegal with Abigail’s Party (by Mike Leigh).
Saturday sees the return of The Phoenix Players from Tubbercurry with The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien. The Tubbercurry Players have always been hugely popular in Claremorris over the decades and it is great to see them back again.
The Colleen Bawn makes its Claremorris debut on Sunday night when it will be staged by the Ennis Players. It is based on the true story of Ellen Hanley who was murdered and later washed ashore in the county.
Compántas Lír from Claregalway will present The Birds (by Conor McPherson) on Monday night. DADS Drama Group from Dunmore bring their version of The Odd Couple, the classic comedy by Neil Simon, to the Claremorris Festival on Tuesday 14 and patrons are in for plenty of laughs and smiles along the way.
A second play by Conor McPherson, The Night Alive, will be staged by Doonbeg Drama Group on Wednesday 15.
The final three plays, all in the Open category, will see Ballyduff Group feature The Cripple of Inishmaan (by Martin McDonagh) on Friday 17, the Bunclody/Kilmyshall Group stage Agnes of God (by John Pielmeir) on Saturday 18, with the Brádan Players from Leixlip presenting Blackbird on Sunday 19.
47 entries
Mary Esler told the press launch night that 47 plays were received for the Fringe Festival this year with several entries from overseas. Seven of these will be staged in the Town Hall Studio alongside the main drama festival.
The first play, My Mother’s Boyfriend, by Ballyhaunis writer Michael Goulding, will be staged on Friday, March 10, after The Lifford Players presentation in the main theatre. The local cast features Vivienne Lee, Aishling Costello and Ronan Egan.
Two plays will be staged on March 15. They are Bridge of Honor by Edgar Chisholm from New Jersey featuring Rosemarie Noone and Damien Conway. The Second is “Eight” by Sligo native Ken Armstrong who resides in Castlebar and the cast features Donna Ruane, Tara Niland and Eamon Smith.
St Patrick’s Night sees two plays by Joe Starzyk from New York, Be Careful What You Wish For and Death Who’s Coming To Dinner, being staged in the Town Hall Studio.
The final two plays in the Fringe Festival will be staged on Saturday, March 18. They are Merry Go Round by Joe Bergin from Leixlip and The Dog In The Tree House by Sue Healy, Waterford and London, with Seamus Cafferky, a member of Claremorris Musical Society, in the lead role in the latter.
MORE Curtain-up is at 8pm nightly. Tickets are €15 (€12 concessions) while season tickets are €90 or €50 for five nights. They can be had from the Town Hall on 094 9310999, Vaughan’s Shoes, or www.townhall.ie.
