Mayo drama group to stage ‘The Year of the Hiker’ ahead of national finals

The award-winning Claremorris-based drama group ‘Upstage Players’ is set to return to the stage this Good Friday with a performance of 'The Year of the Hiker' at Claremorris Town Hall Theatre.

Taking place on Friday, April 3, the production follows a sell-out run of this year’s Claremorris Drama Festival. The show begins at 8 pm with doors from 7 pm. Tickets will be priced at €15 and are available online or through the theatre’s box office.

Written by renowned Irish playwright John B. Keane, the play is set in 1960s Ireland and tells the story of Hiker Lacey, a man who abandoned his young family two decades earlier to roam the country. His unexpected return on the day of his daughter’s wedding raises questions about forgiveness, family, and the past he left behind.

Upstage Players has enjoyed a remarkable run on the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland (ADCI) Festival Circuit this year, earning widespread acclaim and multiple awards. Their success culminated over the weekend with qualification for the All-Ireland Confined Finals, where they will compete in Carrickmore, Tyrone, on Thursday, April 9.

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The current production is directed by Andrea Silke of Dunmore, with Mary Esler serving as producer and Marie Murphy as stage manager. The technical team includes Billy Freeley on lighting, Lisa Dowd-Hynes on sound, and Niall O’Connor overseeing set construction.

The cast features a strong local presence, including Una Monahan as Freda, Aishling Costello and Karen Hahessy sharing the role of Mary Lacey, and Ollie Barrett taking on the titular role of Hiker Lacey. They are joined by Jourdain Cunningham as Simey, Alan Heneghan as Joe Lacey, and Stephen Leo as Willie Dolly.

Before heading to the All-Ireland Finals, Upstage Players will stage one final performance in Gort Town Hall on Tuesday, April 7.

Photo caption: Upstage Players will perform The Year of the Hiker in Claremorris Town Hall Theatre on Good Friday night, April 3. Back row, from left: Andrea Silke (director), Una Monahan, Alan Heneghan, Karen Hahessy and Aishling Costello. Front row, from left: Ollie Barrett, Stephen Leo and Jourdain Cunningham.   

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