Two awards for Drumgoon at Cavan One Act
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Rachael Cullivan, Chair of Cavan Drama Festival, Adjudicator Paddy Farrelly and Honorary Secretary Carmel Gaffney.Image 2 of 3
Pictured at back from left to right are members of Cavan Drama Festival Committee Jimmy Scanlon, Colman Smith, Liz McDermott, Brian McDermott, Rachael Cullivan, Paul Farnan and Carmel Gaffney with members of Drumgoon Play-Actors Lorna Reilly and Louise Bannon, and committee member Emer McElwaine. At front from left to right are Jan Cullen, Best Actress, Gorey Little Theatre Group (Confined), Ronan Drummond, Best Actor, Ballyshannon Drama Society (Open), Adjudicator Award: Technicals - Ballyshannon Drama Society, Adjudicator Paddy Farrelly, Moya Ferguson, Best Director, Ballyshannon Drama Society (Open), Anne Marie Bannon, Best Play, Drumgoon Play-Actors (Confined) and Shane Fox, Best Actor (Confined). RIGHT: Drumgoon Play-Actors cast of ‘Crossing Over’ Shane Fox, Lorna Reilly, Louise Bannon and Paul Boylan.Image 3 of 3
RIGHT: Drumgoon Play-Actors cast of ‘Crossing Over’ Shane Fox, Lorna Reilly, Louise Bannon and Paul Boylan.Drumgoon Play-Actors took home two awards in their first appearance at Cavan One Act Drama Festival, which took place last weekend.
The group were awarded Best Play and the talented Shane Fox was named Best Actor, both in the confined category for newer entrants. Meanwhile Lorna Reilly and Louise Bannon were also nominated for Best Actress in the category.
“It meant an awful lot to even get into the festival,” says Anne Marie Bannon from Drumgoon Play-Actors, who wrote their chosen play ‘Crossing Over’, which tells the story of a widow who speaks to her husband from beyond the grave yet is being encouraged to move on with her life by her sister and a local suitor.
The group’s first time entering Cavan One Act, they were “shocked” and “delighted” to have won two awards, particularly as they were the last to perform on Saturday's packed bill.
“We were thrilled, we didn’t expect it because we were last on the Saturday night, and there was three plays before us,” Anne Marie says of their “great achievement”, praising the “excellent” Cavan Drama Fesitval committee, who “looked after” them and couldn’t have been “any more helpful.”
“They really responded to it, the crowd was brilliant and we’re just thrilled - couldn’t believe it.”
SURPRISE
The group had a busy weekend of festivals, performing in Mullagh on Thursday, Maudabawn on Friday, and Cavan on Saturday. By the time they got to Cavan from the Maudabawn festival on Sunday, they had actually missed the announcement of the results, so it was an “even bigger surprise” to learn they had won.
With their final two festivals in the circuit taking place this weekend - in Manorhamilton on Friday and Ballymahon on Saturday - the group were straight back into rehearsals on Monday night. They are taking on board the “great advice” received from the three different adjudicators across the weekend, with Ramor Arts Centre Technical Manager Paddy Farrelly in the Cavan role.
Jan Cullen from Gorey Little Theatre Group was named Best Actress in the confined category, while Elizabeth Doonan from Corn Mill was awarded Best Actress in the open category for more experienced groups, in which Ballyshannon Drama Society also received two awards, with Ronan Drummond as Best Actor and Best Play for ‘The Wonder Wheel’. Moya Ferguson from the Ballyshannon group was also recognised as Best Director, and the group took home the Adjudicator Award for Technicals.