Carlow Irish-speaking schools win top honours at national drama festival
Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc also won two awards
THE wins keep coming for schools in Carlow this awards season, and this time it was the turn of two of the Irish-speaking schools to claim top honours at a national drama festival recently.
Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach and Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc won two prizes each at this year’s national school drama festival, which took place in Mullingar Arts Centre at the end of April.
Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach won a prize for their play , which was produced by Robert O’Neill, and were also awarded the prize for best community college.
Meanwhile, Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc won the best primary school award and also took home the award for best actor (girl) for the part of Raifiki in the play , which was produced by Jill Mhic Roibeard and Clár Uí Néill.
Over 40 plays were featured at the festival, which was held over the course of two weeks at Mullingar Arts Centre. Some of the plays featured included a mix of musicals, newly-written plays, alongside established productions, performed by primary and secondary schools, and also youth groups from across the country.
Each school that participated in the festival was also presented with a plaque in recognition of the hard work, creativity and dedication of the students.
“Congratulations to all the teachers, students and youth groups that took part,” said Muireann Ní Dhroighneáin, national co-ordinator of performing arts for An tOireachtas.
“We would like to thank the Cumann Scoildrámaíochta for the wonderful work they do year after year with schools across the country. We would also like to thank the staff from the Arts Centre Mullingar for their warm welcome and valuable support throughout the festival. We were delighted to see such excellent plays on stage this year from all the schools and youth groups,” she added.
