Ballyshannon Drama Society

2024 marks the 71st year of the Ballyshannon Drama Festival, and we have another fantastic line up for all our drama fans this year with a wide ranging programme, featuring everything from slapstick comedy to modern tragedy, touching on themes such as modern Irish life, the Civil War, politics and power, the dangers of over-indulgence and rugby!
The festival opens on Saturday March 9th with Newtownstewart Theatre Company presenting ‘The New Electric Ballroom’, Enda Walsh’s award-winning depiction of small-town life.
On Sunday night, Castleblaney Players present ‘No Going Back’ by Joe Hanratty, in which two brothers living in a border town in 1924 try to leave the past behind them.
The Enniskillen Theatre Company present ‘The Lonesome West’ by Martin Mc Donagh, part of his darkly comic Connemara trilogy, on Monday the 11th of March.
Corn Mill Theatre return to the Abbey on Tuesday with the hilarious comedy, ‘According to Rumour’ by Robert Scott, set in the aftermath of a ‘memorable’ party.
On Wednesday the 13th, we have ‘Eclipsed’ by Patricia Burke Brogan, telling the story of four women in a Magdalene laundry, presented by the Ray Leonard Players, Claremorris.
The Phoenix Players, Tubercurry, visit on Thursday the 14th with an adapatation of George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’.
On Friday the 15th, Ballyshannon Drama Society present ‘Margaret’, written by Ballybofey’s Shawn Byrne, featuring Rachel O’Connor and Shawn Byrne, and directed by Monica Doherty.
It’s a night of rugby on Saturday the 16th as the All Blacks face Munster in ‘Alone It Stands’ by John Breen, presented by the Balally Players, Dundrum.
The festival will close on Sunday the 17th with the Arthur Miller classic, ‘A View from the Bridge’, presented by Prosperous Dramatic Society.
This year’s adjudicator is Mary Meaney, a regular visitor to the Ballyshannon Drama Festival in the past.
All shows will begin at 8pm nightly, except for Sunday the 17th which will start at 7.30pm to facilitate the awards ceremony. Season tickets are €75, plus €1 booking fee. Bookings for individual nights will open on March 1st via the Abbey Centre website, www.abbeycentre.ie .

Congratulations to Rachel O’Connor on winning the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award for her portrayal of Claire in ‘A Delicate Balance’, in the finals of the All Ireland Drama Festival!! The awards for the festival were presented at a Gala Awards Ceremony in the Radisson Athlone, on Saturday night. Before announcing the winner of the award, Adjudicator Paula Dempsey commented, “She owned the stage from the moment she stepped on it”.

‘A Delicate Balance’ also received nominations for Stage Management – well done Linda Gallagher, Mary Duggan and Karen Skelly, and Best Stage Setting – congrats Sean O’Connor!

Congratulations to the overall winners, Dalkey Players with their production of ‘By the Bog of Cats’. You can see the full list of awards along with photos from the Gala Awards Ceremony here: https://www.dramafestival.ie/gala-awards-2023/

Congratulations to Damien Gallagher on being inducted into the Ballyshannon Drama Society Hall of Fame as part of the 70th Ballyshannon Drama Festival!

‘Darkness Echoing’, presented by Butt Drama Circle had a memorable night at Ballyshannon Drama Festival as they won a host of awards, including the Blue Riband – their first win on this year’s circuit.
Ray Leonard Players, with their production of ‘The Kings of the Kilburn High Road’ won the Confined section.

Results as follows:
Billy Myles Audience Award – Butt Drama Circle;
Best Set – Butt Drama Circle;
Best Stage Manager: Brenda Duffy, Butt Drama Circle;
Lighting – Butt Drama Circle;
Adjudicator’s Awards (x3) – Aoibheann Diver (Lifford Players); Bernie O’Brien (Pomeroy Players; Prosperous Dramatic Society (for the violent ending scene in their play).
Phil McLoone Award for outstanding achievement by a young person – Deirdre Ferguson (Ballyshannon Dramatic Society);
Best Actor Confined – Robert Holden as Jap in Kings of the Kilburn High Road;
Best Actress Confined – Mary Conlan – Netownstewart Drama Group;
Best Producer Confined (Hugh and Mary Daly Cup) – Anne Fahey – Ray Leonard Players;
Third Place Confined – Pomeroy Players;
Second Place Confined (Catherine Breslin Award) – Newtownstewart Drama Group;
First Place Confined – (Commercial Hotel Cup) – Kings of the Kilburn High Road;
Best Actor Open ((HJ Travers Award) J.C. Bonar (Butt Drama Circle);
Best Actress Open (Eoin Carney Award) – Ashley O’Neill, Prosperous;
Best Producer Open (John Stephens Cup) – Sean Byrne, Butt Drama Circle
Third Place Open (Jim Flynn Award) – Ballyshannon Drama Society;
Second Place Open (CJ King Award) Prosperous Dramatic Society;
Winner Open Section – Maureen Gallagher Award) – Butt Drama Circle;
Patsy Croal Blue Riband – Butt Drama Circle.

On the final night of the 70th Ballyshannon Drama Festival, Theatre 3 from Newtownabbey presented ‘The Price’ by Arthur Miller, in the Open section.

Saturday night at the drama festival saw the welcome return of home group Ballyshannon Drama Society’s circuit production, ‘A Delicate Balance’ by Edward Albee, in the Open Section (photos: John Fallon).

On Friday night at the drama festival, Prosperous Dramatic returned to the Abbey stage with their production of ‘Oleanna’ by David Mamet, in the Open section (photos: John Fallon).

On the fifth night of the 2023 Ballyshannon Drama Festival, Pomeroy Players returned to Ballyshannon with their production of ‘The Hen Nigh Epiphany’ by Jimmy Murphy, in the Confined Section (photos: John Fallon).