Raphoe’s Royal and Prior Comprehensive has been selected as the overall winner of the annual Donegal Secondary Schools Drama festival for the second year in succession.
At the awards ceremony in the Balor Theatre, Ballybofey, last Tuesday night, students from ‘The Royal’ took the top gong with their powerful production of the Irish classic, ‘Playboy of the Western World’.
Directed by Linda O’Boyle and Emer Kelly, they took home the Ben Duffy Perpetual Cup for first place as well as a number of other awards.
Organised by Teresa McNulty of the award-winning Butt Drama Circle, the prestigious competition has been running for more than forty years.
During that time, it has given the youth of the county the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience in a professional theatre.
The event had entries from six schools, one of the highest in years, from around the county and enjoyed huge attendances over both nights.
The competing schools on Monday night were Crana College, Buncrana, with an original production called ‘The Legend of Chú Chulainn’ (a devised dance drama), St Columba’s College, Stranorlar, with their production of ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ and The Abbey Vocational School, Donegal town, with ‘Chatroom.’
A packed house on Tuesday night enjoyed performances by The Royal, a production of ‘Our Day Out’ by Errigal College, Letterkenny, and an original play from Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair called ‘Big Changes’ which was written and directed by Pól Ó Gallachoir.
While The Royal took the main award, The Abbey came in second place with Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair in third.
The Innovative Presentation Award went to Crana College with their original production on ‘Chú Chulainn’, directed by Laura Keogh, which also included a spectacular ‘hurley dance.’
The Best Actor award was picked up by Joshua McNutt for his part in ‘Chú Chulainn’ and the best actress title went to Robin Harvey-Moulding of The Abbey for her role as ‘Jim’ in ‘Chatroom’.
The festival was adjudicated by Maura Logue who awarded 12 certificates of merit to participants as well as seven ‘Outstanding Performance’ plaques.
She paid tribute to their teachers who, she said, go beyond the call of duty in taking on theatre productions. Ms Logue said she felt very fortunate to have again been invited to this year’s schools festival.
She also delivered some wise words of wisdom for the young actors and to those in the audience.
“Without you actors there would be no theatre so, please, do not stop acting or performing after you leave here,” Ms Logue said.
“Thanks also to the schools for carrying the candle for live theatre, the audiences and to the Butt Drama Circle for working so hard behind the scenes to host this wonderful festival.”
