Rathangan Drama Festival proud to feature two Eugene O'Brien plays

Rathangan is looking forward to its 36th Annual Drama Festival, which commences next Friday, March 20 at 8pm in the Community Centre (R51YF38).

Continuing for nine nights until Saturday 28 March, audiences are in for a treat. A diverse range of theatre will be presented by the nine groups visiting from counties Carlow, Dublin, Clare, Mayo, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow presenting a mixture of plays with varying themes including comedy, drama and tragedy.

Some of the great Irish classics will be presented as well as new plays. Two of the plays, Eden and Heaven, were written by the esteemed playwright Eugene O’Brien from Edenderry and the committee are delighted to showcase and acknowledge our local writers.

The festival is a competition and is one of the thirty-two preliminary festivals that participate in the annual All Ireland drama circuit, which is overseen by the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland.

Competition will be fierce and the standard very high as Rathangan is one of the last festival to run this year and it may be the last chance for some groups to secure nominations and points to reach either the ADCI Confined Finals in Carrickmore, Co Tyrone or the RTE Open Finals in Athlone, depending on which section the group is competing in.

“We wish them every success. The festival committee would like to thank all local sponsors and patrons and acknowledge Kildare County Council as our main sponsor,” it said.

The festival adjudicator this year is Mary Meaney from Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny who is affiliated to GoDA. She is a a retired secondary school teacher and has a B.A.(French and Geography) and Higher Diploma in Education from NUIM(National University of Ireland, Maynooth). She has been a member of GODA since 2023. She was the founder of Goresbridge (Co. Kilkenny) One Act Drama Festival in 2010 and was Festival Director there for many years. She is still involved on the festival committee in Goresbridge.

She has more than 40 years’ experience working in and directing amateur, youth and schools’ drama plus amateur and schools’ musical productions. Mary is an experienced Lighting Technician and Stage Manager and her productions have won many awards in competition over the years. She is very much looking forward to adjudicating Rathangan Drama Festival 2026.

The committee want to thank the community of Rathangan and its hinterland for their support over the years and hope that they will continue to do so.

The festival is a wonderful place to meet people, have a chat and a cup of tea. It is one event that you can come along to on your own and you will be looked after and made welcome.

“To have this week of entertainment on our doorstep is great and hopefully as many people as possible will come along,” added the committee.

“One of the main benefits in having nine nights is that you can pick one or two plays to see or come along for the week as we have a very reasonably priced season ticket.”

Booking can be made on 087 9670138 or just turn up on the night. Admission is €15 and concessions are €10 (OAP’s/Students).

A season ticket for the 9 nights is a very reasonable €70. Curtains up at 8pm sharp every night.

The festivial begins on Friday 20 March with Wexford Drama Group’s Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness.

On Saturday 21 March, Balally Drama Group, Dublin take to the stage with Heaven by Eugene O’ Brien.

On Sunday 22 March the Upstage Players, Co. Mayo take on The Year of the Hiker by John B Keane, while Carlow Little Theatre perform Eden by Eugene O’ Brien (Age Guidance is 16+) on Monday 23 March.

On Tuesday 24 March, Tinahely Drama Group, Co. Wicklow, bring Moonglow by Kim Kearney to Rathangan.

On Wednesday 25 March, Sliabh Aughty Drama Group, Co Clare return with The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham.

On Thursday 26 March, Holycross/Ballycahill Drama Group present Sive by John B Keane. On Friday 27 March, Clann Machua stage Greta Garbo Came to Donegal by Frank McGuinness.

The final night, Saturday 28 March features Thurles Drama Group, Co Tipperary with Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel.