Flags are up for the All-Ireland Confined Drama Finals opening in Carnew tonight. The welcome signs are up; the flags are fluttering in the breeze outside St. Brigid’s Hall, bunting is adorning the Main Street and shopfronts, positive signals that Carnew is ready to host the 66th All-Ireland Confined Drama Finals.
The official opening will be performed by local-born Loughlin Deegan, Director of The Lir, National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College, at 8 pm tonight and the first of nine performances will take to the stage immediately afterwards.
There will be words of welcome for everybody. Eamonn Doran, Chairman of the South Wicklow Drama Festival, has extended a welcome to the adjudicator, Tom Byrne from Kildare, and dráma colleagues from the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland.
“We are both honoured and privileged to have the opportunity of hosting this All-Ireland event,” said Mr Doran, who added; “Our Festival Committee have been preparing for it over the last year, overcoming the many challenges there in are in staging an event of this magnitude in a small community.”
Festival PRO, Mary Doran, told WexfordToday.com that the first night “is completely sold out” but there are still some tickets available for other performances although booking is “already heavy” for Monday and Tuesday, when local groups, Coolegreany and Ballycogley, present their productions.
FULL PROGRAMME OF PLAYS
FRIDAY, APRIL 13th; ‘The Kings of the Kilburn High Road’ by Jimmy Murphy, Lislea Dramatic Players.
SATURDAY, APRIL 14th; ‘Moonglow’ by Kim Carney, Sliabh Aughty Drama Group.
SUNDAY, APRIL 15th; ‘Some Girls’ by Neil Labutem Curtain Call Productions.
MONDAY, APRIL 16th; ‘Death and the Maiden’ by Ariel Dorfman, Coolgreany Drama Group.
TUESDAY, APRIL 17th; ‘The Night Alive’ by Conor McPherson, Ballycogley Players.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18th; ‘ No Man’s Land’ by Harold Pinter, Schull Drama Group.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19th; ‘Una Pooka’ by Michael Harding, Sillan Players.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20th; ‘Bold Girls’ by Rona Munro, Holycross/Ballycahill Drama Group.
SATURDAY, APRIL 21st; ‘The Good Father’ by Christian O’Reilly, Glenamaddy Players.
A number of fringe events, exhibitions, and tours of historic Coollattin House and the Tomnafinnogue Woods, are amongst the attractions supporting the festival.