Prolific playwright and former principal passes
The late Hugh Brendan McCann will be laid to rest this week
The funeral will take place later this week of the prolific Border playwright and former Loreto College principal, Hugh Brendan McCann.
From Sugarloaf, Belturbet, he passed away peacefully after a short illness surrounded by his loving family at the weekend, on Saturday last, June 15.
Mr Cann retired as principal of Loreto College in Cavan Town in August 2005, having provided 36 years of dedicated teaching service, including 11 at the helm of the local all girls secondary school.
A deputy principal for a number of years before that, his time at Loreto was marked by his dedication and enthusiasm to all aspects of education, and as the driving force behind significant investments, including the construction of a new Science and Home Economics wing, canteen, bus park and several new classrooms.
Outside of the classroom Mr McCann was highly regarded by all within the arts community for his contributions to drama and literature.
He had been writing award winning plays for many years even before his now renowned script for 'Peri Como’s Leaving Town' won best play in the All-Ireland Drama Finals in 1978.
The one act had its premiere, performed by the Belturbet Players, and produced by Mr McCann himself, at The Lawn Theatre before being set out on the touring circuit.
He went on to write many more plays of note, including Kernaghan’s Law (1993 All-Ireland One-Act Finals in Ballinasloe), The Lebanon, Encounter in a Signal Box, Mountain Wings, The Tangler Back in Court, and Volkswagen Joe, which reached the All-Ireland Drama Finals in 1995 and was later adapted from stage for screen.
In 1993 the Irish Board of Speech and Drama commissioned the compilation of five new plays by well-known Mr McCann, launched by well-known Cavan author, Michael Harding, and taken as prescribed texts in the Experimental Section of the Speech and Drama Easter Festival in Belturbet that year. The plays included The Choir Practice, Gabrielle, Moving Spirits, The Palatine's Daughter, and The Return of the Pied Piper.
In 1996 he was honoured by the people of his hometown at a special function organised by Belturbet Drama Society in The Seven Horseshoes for his enormous contribution to drama.
For a period he served as Chairman of the Belturbet Historical Society, with the Drumlin Writers, and was an invited guest speaker at a variety of other drama and literary events, including the inaugural Cavan Literary Festival in 2006.
Mr McCann is survived by wife Brenda and his children John, Eilish, Kevin, Paul, Cormac, Deirdre and Rossa; grandchildren Cora, Patrick, Conaill, Seamus, Alex, Joseph, Keir, Faolán Tone, Aodhán and Eoghan; brothers and sisters Tone, Kevin, Mary and Josephine; relatives and many friends.
Reposing at Lawlor’s Funeral Home in Belturbet (H14 R583) on Wednesday evening June 19, from 6-8pm, his Funeral Mass will take place at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Belturbet at 12pm on Thursday, June 20.
Burial afterwards in Staghall Cemetery.