Dalkey the big winners at Shercock
The big prizes left the county boundaries as eight nights of highly enjoyable entertainment at the 31st Annual Shercock Drama Festival reached a climax last Friday night. Dalkey Players, Dublin took home the Tabetex Perpetual Trophy as winners of the Open Section while the Fr Patsy Young Perpetual Trophy was captured by the Glenamaddy Players.
Adjudicator Tom Byrne praised the Dalkey troupe's interpretation of a difficult play and their imaginative presentation of 'Dead Man's Cell Phone' overcame the stiff opposition provided by Kilmeen Drama Group, and the Corn Mill Theatre Group, Carrigallen. A wonderful performance by Tina Ward in the role of 'Hester Swayne' was central to Glenamaddy's victory with Marina Carr's 'By the Bog of Cats'. Coman Keaveny received the Confined Section award for Glenamaddy Players from adjudicator Tom Byrne and Festival Director Anne O’Reilly (pictured below).
Their third victory on the circuit qualifies them for a place in the All-Ireland Confined Section Finals in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo, where, incidentally, they will come up against Shercock's Sillan Players who also made it through.
Success
Festival Chairman Paddy Farrelly paid tribute to all who had worked hard to stage a successful event. He stressed the huge contributions made by the Festival Director Anne O'Reilly and Secretary Sharon Farrelly, as well as the efforts of the Festival Committee and all those who helped out with advertising, front of house, box office, car parking, cleaning, catering and the Festival Club. He expressed his gratitude to the Vergnano family, directors of Tabetex Ltd., and all the other loyal sponsors who enable the Festival to continue. He was delighted with the attendance levels at this year's event. Finally he thanked a popular adjudicator, Tom Byrne, for his work as well as Bernie Harten, a Board Member of the Drama League of Ireland, who opened the Festival, and Charlie Bonner a professional actor for 30 years now living in Virginia who performed the closing ceremony.
Open Section - Winner: Dalkey Players, Dublin with 'Dead Man's Cell Phone'; Runner Up: Kilmeen Drama Group, Co. Cork with 'The Seafarer'
Confined Section - Winner: Glenamaddy Players, Co. Galway with 'By the Bog of Cats'; Runner Up: Ballycogley Players, Co. Wexford with ' Lay Me Down Softly'
Individual Awards - Open Section, Best Performance: Maura Farrelly, Corn Mill Theatre Group, for 'Madge' in 'Philadelphia, Here I Come'; Best Performance in a Supporting Role: John Hughes, Kilmeen Drama Group, for 'Ivan Curry' in 'The Seafarer'. Confined Section, Best Performance: Tina Ward, Glenamaddy Players for 'Hester Swayne' in 'By the Bog of Cats'; Best Performance in a Supporting Role: Sean Carty, Ballycogley Players for 'Dean' in 'Lay Me Down Softly'.
Special Awards, Open and Confined Sections - Best Imagination (The Pete Ward Perpetual Trophy): Dalky Players; Adjudicators Award: Marie Coneran for 'Mrs. Kilbride' Glenamaddy Players; Most Promising Young Performer: Jack Allen, Ballycogley Players for 'Junior'; Best Lighting: Kilmeen Players; Best Stage Presentation: Kilmeen Players; Audience Award (vote of Season Ticket holders): Kilmeen Players.