Ballyshannon Drama Group sweep the boards at Kiltyclogher Drama Festival

Ballyshannon Drama Group took 1st place in the Open Section of Kiltyclogher Drama Festival with their fine production of Author Miller’s Play “All My Sons”. Newtownstewart Drama Group won the Confined Section with their production of “Family Plot” by Daragh Carville.
The 38th Annual Kiltyclogher Drama Festival enjoyed one of its biggest and best festival to date.
Large crowds attended each night with the hall full to capacity on a number of nights. Despite the disappointment of one group having to withdraw, due to a cast member contracting Covid, this did not in any way detract from the success of the Festival.
The Adjudicator, Declan Drohan praised the hard work and dedication of the seven groups who took part in the Festival. He was delighted with the variety and high standard of the plays which he had adjudicated on over the week.
He thanked the audience for their attendance and attention over the seven nights. He paid tribute to the members of the hard-working committee and all the people he had met over the week for their kindness and curtesy to him.
On behalf of the Drama Committee and Kiltyclogher Community Council, Frank Fox paid a poignant tribute to Dr. Philomena McManus who had gone to her eternal award since the last Festival.
Dr. Philomena was a long time supporter and friend of the Festival from its very beginning. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dilis.
He thanked the Adjudicator for sharing his knowledge of the plays and the playwrights with the audience at the end of each show. He acknowledged the hard work of all the people in the community who help in various ways to keep the Festival going - the ladies and gentlemen who turned out over the seven nights to cater for the groups, man the doors, sell tickets and all who worked behind the scene to keep the festival running smoothly.
In a year when many Drama Festivals had struggled to fill their festival programmes, he said, they were delighted that this was not a problem for our Festival. He thanked Killasnett Co -op who had sponsored all the individual prizes for the Festival and all the sponsors who support the Festival each year with their generous contributions.
He thanked the audiences who had attended in such great numbers over the week. He paid tribute to the seven groups, some of whom had travelled long distances to compete in the Festival and who had entertained us with of first class drama.
Festival Results:
Open Section: Blue Riband: Ballyshannon Drama Group;
Best Play: Merenda Cup All My Sons Ballyshannon Drama Group;
Best supporting actress:       Maura Farrelly  Corn Mill Theatre, Carrigallen;
Best supporting actor :         Dermot Byrne    Dalkey Players;
Best Actress: Rachel O'Connor  Ballyshannon Drama Group;
Best Actor: Richard Hurst, Ballyshannon Drama Group;
Best Play:  “All My sons”, Ballyshannon Drama Group;
Best Director:  Trish Keane, Ballyshannon Drama Group;
Best Set-overall ; Door on the left, Corn Mill Theatre, Carrigallen;
Confined Section:
Best Play: McManus Cup - Family Plot Newtownstewart Drama Group;
Best supporting:   Maggie Kilcoyne,    Phoenix Players, Tubbercurry;
Best supporting Actor: Marty Quinn, Enniskillen Theatre Company;
Best Actress: Breege McSorely, Newtownstewart Drama Group;
Best Actor: Tim Gallagher, Phoenix Players, Tubbercurry;
Best Play:  Family Plot, Newtownstewart Drama Group;
Best Director: Fintan Gallagher,  Newtownstewart Drama Group;
Adjudicator's Award  Eurydice - Dalkey Players;
Best Moment of Theatre:  Dramateurs – Letterkenny Drama Group;
Most Promising Actor:   Christian Carbin  - The Night Alive - Enniskillen.