The Gala Awards Night
Dalkey Players Scoops Top Award in 2023 RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival
A Special 70 th Year for the Amateur Drama Society of Ireland
Dalkey Players, directed by Emma Jane Nulty, were crowned RTÉ All Ireland
Drama Champions for their performance of ‘By The Bog of Cats’ by Marina
Carr at the Gala Awards ceremony in Athlone’s Radisson Blu Hotel on
Saturday May 6th as the curtain came down on the RTÉ All Ireland Drama
Festival. The festival is held under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council
of Ireland (ADCI) who celebrates its 70th Anniversary this year having been
founded in 1952.
Ballyduff Drama Group, directed by Ger Canning, who presented ‘The Welkin’
were placed second and Thurles Drama Group, directed by Margaret
McCormack, who performed ‘The Seafarer’ were placed third.
WATCH THE 2023 FESTIVAL AWARDS LIVE STREAM
By the Bog of Cats’ by Marina Carr premiered at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre in October 1998. The play takes place in the Midlands. Loosely based on Greek
mythology, it contains many mystical and mythical elements, including ghosts, curses, and references to witchcraft. Its themes include land ownership,
motherhood, betrayal/abandonment, and ethnic prejudice.
There was great excitement when the results were announced. No strangers to Athlone, Dalkey Players previously won the All-Ireland in 2017. Their director Emma Jane Nulty also won the Best Director award. The Adjudicator, Paula Dempsey commended her for her creative approach and unique directorial choices.
In addition to best director, Sarah Coughlan, Dalkey Players, who played Hester Swaine won the award for best actress and Anna Kilcoyne, won the John Butler scholarship for her role as ‘Black Wing’. Dalkey Players also take home the awards for best stage management, best stage lighting.
Other award winners included,
Andy Doyle, Wexford Drama Group, won the award for Best Actor for his role
as Andre in The Father,
Rachel O’Connor, Ballyshannon Drama Society, won the best actress in a
supporting role for her role as Claire in A Delicate Balance
Matt Tracey, Thurles Drama Group, who played Ivan Curry in The Seafarer
won the award for best actor in a supporting role,
Ballyduff Drama Group won the award for best stage setting,
Treasa Davey, won the Adjudicator Award for her role as Winnie in Happy
Days,
The ADCI/Drama League of Ireland (DLI) Summer School Scholarship went to
Fiona Ahern, Ballyduff Drama Group, for her role as ‘Mary Middleton’, in the
Welkin.
It was a glittering evening of celebration in a week that saw thousands flock to
the Athlone and many sold out shows. Speaking before the awards presentation,
the Festival Director, Regina Bushell, congratulated the 9 groups in the final and
thanked them for their commitment, hard work and dedication. She added that
the festival was a great success and that Athlone town was looking its best.
Regina mentioned the recent exciting announcement by TUS committing to
collect, collate and preserve archive material relating to the festival for use by
enthusiasts and researchers worldwide.
Regina expressed her sincere gratitude to the festival’s main sponsors, RTÉ, for
their continued support of the festival and the extensive coverage the festival
had received for this the 70 th year of the ADCI. She also thanked the nighty
sponsors and the local and national media for getting full-square behind the
festival and contributing to the successful event it has become.
Award Categories:
RTÉ Perpetual Trophy to the Overall Winner – Dalkey Players, By the Bog of
Cats
Best Director – Emma Jane Nulty, Dalkey Players, By the Bog of Cats
Best Actor – Andy Doyle, Wexford Drama Group, as Andre in The Father
Best Actress – Sarah Coughlan, Dalkey Players, as Hester Swaine in By the
Bog of Cats
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Matt Tracey, Thurles Drama Group, as Ivan
Curry in The Seafarer
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Rachel O’Connor, Ballyshannon Drama
Society, as Claire in A Delicate Balance
Best Stage Management – Dalkey Players, By the Bog of Cats,
Best Stage Lighting – Dalkey Players, By the Bog of Cats,
Best Stage Setting – Ballyduff Drama Group, The Welkin
Adjudicator Award – Treasa Davey, as Winnie in Happy Days,
The ADCI/Drama League of Ireland (DLI) Summer School Scholarship went to
Fiona Ahern, Ballyduff Drama Group, for her role as ‘Mary Middleton’, in the
Welkin.
Anna Kilcoyne, won the John Butler scholarship for her role as ‘Black Wing’ in
By the Bog of Cats
The Abbey Theatre Award – Wexford Drama Group, The Father
