Well, I worried about everything before this Kiltyclogher Drama Festival – would there be enough daylight (I kid you not, the days are so short in winter!), would there be too much rain, would there be too much drama…? I shouldn’t have worried. It’s bright at 7:00 am and not dark until almost 6:30 pm, the rain gods were on holiday too, it seems, and we had a mainly dry, bright week to see the Wild Atlantic Way in all its glory, and the drama was magnificent. And most importantly, we met so many new people and made many new friends
It’s hard to believe these amateur actors are just that – amateurs. The standard of acting was just so wonderful. There was a diverse range of plays, from new playwright Charles McGuinness to the gold standard of Charlotte Bronte with themes ranging from drug dealing to brass bands. There was considerable discussion as to whether the programme should have reflected the Centenary year of the 1916 Uprising to a greater (any!) extent – especially as Kiltyclogher is the home of one of the key leaders of the Uprising, Sean McDiarmada. No matter. All our chat about this topic was almost as good as such a programme could have been! Having said that, I would rather run a mile than sit through another Harold Pinter play – and we were all in agreement on that sentiment!
It really was a wonderful week, and judging by the amount of interest and feedback we’re getting, we will have to consider adding another drama week to our tours next year – the Tubbercurry Drama Festival is now under consideration, for those planning ahead!
A few of us kept the evening going until 2:00 at 5th on Teeling in Sligo so a few sore heads this morning. I anticipate it will be a low-key day as we all wind down and get our last minute sightseeing and gift-buying sorted before we get back to the real world next week.
Can’t wait to join the tour in July!
We’re looking forward to you coming Vicky. Have you decided which class you’re joining in Drumshanbo? The traditional singing class might suit you?