A Stage for Our Souls: Shercock Drama Festival Returns
From March 12-20, Shercock will once again become the beating heart of Irish theatre, as the 38th Shercock Drama Festival opens its curtains to eight nights of powerful storytelling. This year, they welcome the esteemed Anna Walker ADA as adjudicator, whose insight and expertise will guide audiences and performers alike through a rich tapestry of drama, comedy, and tragedy.
For nearly four decades, this festival has been more than just a series of plays—it is a gathering of communities, a celebration of amateur dedication, and a testament to the enduring power of live theatre. From the windswept isolation of Achill to the bustling suburbs of Dublin, from the intimate family parlour to the vastness of the cosmos, this year’s programme traverses the breadth of human experience.
The organising committee are particularly proud that the festival remains a truly national event, showcasing the exceptional talent nurtured by dedicated drama groups the length and breadth of the island. Each group brings not only a play, but a shared history, a local passion, and a collective commitment to the craft.
Below is the line-up for 2026, a journey through memory, suspense, loneliness, and redemption:
Thursday 12th – Dooega Drama Group, Achill
‘Philadelphia, Here I Come!’ by Brian Friel – A young man’s public farewell and private turmoil on the eve of his emigration.
Friday 13th – Lislea Dramatic Players, Co. Armagh
“Our Town” by Thornton Wilder – The eternal, poetic simplicity of life, love, and loss in a small American town.
Saturday 14th – Bualadh Bos Drama Group, Co. Galway
“From Under the Bed” by Seamus O’Rourke – A darkly comic tale of two brothers unearthing a lifetime of family secrets.
Sunday 15th – Holywood Players, Co. Down
‘Deathtrap’ by Ira Levin – A deliciously twisty thriller where a playwright’s desperation inspires a perfect plot.
Monday 16th – Glenamaddy Players, Co. Galway
‘Chapatti’ by Christian O’Reilly – A tender, quirky romance blossoms between two lonely animal lovers.
Tuesday 17th – Wexford Drama Group
“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank McGuinness – Three hostages in a Beirut cell forge bonds of humour and humanity to defy captivity.
Thursday 19th – Ballycogley Players, Co. Wexford
“All My Sons” by Arthur Miller – A postwar American family fractures under the weight of a devastating moral failure.
Friday 20th – Dalkey Players, Dublin
“Sive” by John B. Keane – A young woman’s fate is cruelly bargained in this searing indictment of rural greed and oppression.