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Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Glory for various Wexford groups at All-Ireland Drama Festival finals
This year's Gala Awards for the open section of the full-length festival circuit in Athlone's Radisson Blu Hotel on Saturday, May 17, brought competition to the table that was as tight as ever between nine drama groups, with the overall champions hailing from County Waterford, Ballyduff Drama Group, as Ger Canning directed their performance of The Blackwater Lightship, written by Enniscorthy's Colm Tóibín, in the number one slot. Tóibín's work was adapted for stage by David Horan. The Ballyduff Drama Group members are no strangers to Athlone, and the group has been performing on the 3 Act circuit for over forty years. During that time, they won the All-Ireland in 2004, and more recently this is their third time to win in four years (2022, 2024). The 2025 champions' showcasing of The Blackwater Lightship enlightened audiences to a story set in 1990s Ireland and HIV/AIDS is still a terminal diagnosis. A sister, a mother and a grandmother, along with two friends, have come together to tend to 29-year-old Declan, who has the disease. The Wexford-native's story brings the audience on a journey along with the makeshift family unit to see if they face up to the illness and each other. The Balally Players, directed by Declan Rudden, who performed Ulster American by David Ireland, were placed second on the night. Meanwhile, Wexford's Bridge Drama Group were placed third, for their play directed by Susan Somers, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon and adapted by Simon Stephens. Also taking awards back to the Model County included, Cillian Tobin, Bridge Drama, who won best actor for his role as Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Catherine Stafford, Ballycogley Players, received the award for the best actress in a supporting role for her portrayal of Maggie in Lend Me A Tenor. The award for best stage management went to Mary O'Connor, Bridge Drama, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and the same play also picked up the award for best stage lighting, perfected by Mark Redmond, Bridge Drama. Wexford Drama Group was also one of the nine groups to reach the finals under the direction of Paul Walsh for their production of Skylight, by David Hare, which continued their qualifying success in the drama circuit to the All-Ireland Drama Finals for three years consecutive years. The Festival Director, Michael McGlone, remarked that it was a privilege for him to take on the role, which comes with a massive responsibility to ensure the high standards are maintained and that finalists coming to Athlone have a rewarding experience. He thanked his committee for their contribution. "This year's festival is extra special because, thanks to the team in RTÉ, our awards ceremony was live streamed,' said Mr McGlone. 'This will no doubt open up a whole new audience to the ceremony and remind everyone that amateur drama is going from strength to strength,' he added. This year's adjudicator, Walker Ewart has a wealth of experience in all aspects of amateur drama since the age of 14. He was awarded an O.B.E. for Services to Education in 2012 on his retirement. He is fully aware of the efforts made by the huge team of volunteers in any production. He said he has basked in, and suffered, adjudications as an actor and director, and understands the sensitivities of groups who have been preparing their work for many months. Mr Ewart deems it an honour to adjudicate his peers in any festival and added that its is 'a particular honour, and an awesome responsibility, to adjudicate Athlone for the third time'. During the week of the Drama Festival, he pronounced to the audience that it was 'a great day to be alive' after seeing many of the performances. Mr Ewart continued his comments on the festival, and said it was 'the best festival' he has ever adjudicated at. 'This year there was a stunning level of performance in every case.' Speaking to Nuala Carey, RTÉ, he recalled the history of amateur drama stemming back to the work of priests going out into communities and setting up drama festivals, and how amateur drama has a legacy of family to family passing down in the community. In praising the nine finalists, Mr Ewart said 'they have all done their communities extremely proud.' He gave the Adjudicator's Award to Emma Walsh, Brideview Drama Group, for her Valerie's speech in The Weir. The winning play by Ballyduff Drama Group, originally written by Tóibín, was noted by the adjudicator as to have 'presented a well-nigh perfect production of the Blackwater Lightship'. "A wonderful lived-in house, inhabited by a totally believable set of characters. The audience was drawn into the bewilderment and the tensions as the characters faced the unexpected and shocking news of the illness of a loved one. The acting was of a consistently high standard, in the majority of cases excellent portrayals. The friends who rallied round to help Declan in his suffering cared deeply for him. The final goodbye was a very moving piece of theatre. In the end, those of us who were privileged to look into this world cared for these characters. An unforgettable production,' he concluded as the curtains came down on the 2025 RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival, held under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland (ADCI).
The Irish Sun
24-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Ireland suffer ANOTHER devastating injury blow as Aoife Wafer ruled out of Six Nations finale against Scotland
IRELAND have been handed another huge injury blow after Aoife Wafer was ruled out of the Six Nations finale against Scotland. The Wexford-native suffered a knee injury in their Advertisement 2 Aoife Wafer has been ruled out of Ireland's Six Nations finale against Scotland Credit: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile 2 She suffered a knee injury in Ireland's win over Wales Credit: Kian Abdullah/Sportsfile And in an update on Thursday, the IRFU confirmed that she will miss the curtain-closer against Scotland on Saturday. The 22-year-old is the latest high profile loss, after Erin King suffered a The Blessington star has undergone surgery on the issue which will keep her out of the rest of the With Wafer and King both missing, head coach Scott Bemand has made four changes to the side that hammered Wales. Advertisement Read More on Six Nations Uncapped Munster duo Aoife Corey and Jane Clohessy are both in line for their debuts - with the first starting at full-back and the second among the replacements. Amee-Leigh Costigan and Vicky Elmes Kinlan complete the back three alongside Corey, with Kinlan making her first Six Nations start. It is an unchanged midfield pairing as Enya Breen and Aoife Dalton continue at inside and outside centre respectively. Dannah O'Brien and Molly Scuffil-McCabe are retained in the half-backs. Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union In the pack, Niamh O'Dowd returns to fitness to start in the front row alongside Neve Jones and Linda Djougang. Ruth Campbell and Fiona Tuite are in the engine room, allowing Dorothy Wall to shift to blindside flanker in a back row alongside captain McMahon and number eight Brittany Hogan. 'That time of year again' - Peter O'Mahony's captivating garden update includes hilarious tip for parents On the bench, Cliodhna Moloney, Sadhbh McGrath, Christy Haney, the uncapped Clohessy and Claire Boles provide the forward reinforcements. Backs Emily Lane, Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood complete Ireland's 23. Advertisement Ireland are all-but certain to finish in third place for the second year in a row, but coach Denis Fogarty insisted they Only a heavy defeat to the struggling Scots combined with a big Italian win over last-place Wales will see them drop a place. And Fogarty insists the team will not be jaded after last weekend's 40-14 win over the Welsh in Newport for their Edinburgh Championship closer. The former Munster hooker said: 'They're not exhausted. Advertisement "They're energised by making sure we finish on a high. 'We know it's always very tricky over in Scotland, we're very much aware of that, but it's also pressure on us to make sure we managed the week really well.'
