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Small village, big drama: Meet the amateur stage stars vying for glory

Elaine MitchellSouth west reporter, BBC News NI
BBC A woman with long blonde hair and a pink coat is sitting in a cafe area. She is smiling. Behind her there are chairs and tables and some greenery. There are also sleeves of pictures and framed photographs. BBC
Cliodhna Fullen said the village festival inspired her to become a drama tutor

Broadway has the Tonys and the West End has the Oliviers but, at a small, rural village with barely 1,000 people, the island of Ireland's amateur stage stars have been vying for glory.

The All-Ireland Confined Drama Finals have taken centre stage over the past 10 days in Carrickmore, County Tyrone, with thousands of visitors across the island descending on the village's Patrician Hall.

The event was part of the Mid-Ulster Drama Festival, which began in 1966 as a modest community event and has grown into one of the most respected amateur theatre festivals in Ireland.

Each year performers, directors and theatre enthusiasts gather as the village's Patrician Hall is the venue for a wide range of productions.

Most years, the festival hosts preliminary competitions - but this year, it features the All Irelands as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations.

Drama tutor Cliodhna Fullen said the village was "buzzing" especially with younger people.

"The three local schools are able to come down and they're asking questions to the cast, and they're meeting the directors, and they're getting to see an opportunity of what goes on behind the scenes."

A woman sits beside a piano. She has long dark hair and is wearing a jacket with a theatre emblem on the chest. She is smiling.
Patricia Walsh from Glenmaddy Players says it was a "privilege" to come to Carrickmore

Patricia Walsh from the Glenmaddy Players in Galway said the Mid Ulster Drama Festival was a highlight of the drama circuit.

Her group won the ADCI All‑Ireland Confined Drama finals for the first time.

Their production of Chapatti by Christian O'Reilly, directed by Coman Keaveney, received the Premier Award at a gala ceremony on Sunday evening.

"The hospitality, the welcome, is always absolutely amazing. And we're thrilled to be able to perform here in the All Irelands," she said.

"It's always a privilege to come to this beautiful theatre."

A woman in a yellow summer dress stands in a theatre. She has dark hair over her shoulders, and is smiling. Behind her are rows of red velvet seats with gold surrounds. The stage in the background is partially lit up as though a play is about to be staged.
Patricia Nugent's parents were among the first organisers of the festival

Patricia Nugent is the festival director, and her parents helped organise the very first shows there.

"From I was a child I was brought up with the drama festival and you were just brought to the hall every night that the festival was on so it gives you the love for drama and it never leaves you."

She said the festival gets bigger and better every year.

"It is enormous at the minute. We struggled to get enough seats to get people in this year.

"It's so brilliant that amateur theatre is so ripe in this community and we really do work very hard to keep that alive."

She said anything goes on the stage.

"We are very open minded and we are very much a community that will accept anything, anything that we can learn from."

A building with an art deco facade. The building has pillars and a triangle front. County flags are attached to the pillars. Across the top is a banner that says 'All-Ireland confined drama finals'. There are glass doors into the hall, and large flower displays on either side of the doors. Across the front of the building it says The Patrician.
The Patrician Hall in Carrickmore hosted the All-Ireland Confined Drama Finals

James Warnock, the chairman of the Mid Ulster Festival of Amateur Drama, said the plays this year have had adult themes.

"Sometimes the subject matter can be very deep, very thought provoking.

"We've had plays dealing with the subject of dementia and child abuse.

"And we're very fortunate that these plays have brilliant actors and actresses and they really can bring a story to life."

Local businesses report a significant boost to revenue during the festival run - and this year's influx of visitors has transformed the quiet village into a hub of activity.

"We could have up to 3,500 people through this town while the drama festival's on, which is great for local community, for business, for tourism, for bed and breakfasts," Nugent said.

"It has such a good effect on everything in the community."

As the 60th year milestone celebrations continue, Nugent said the Patrician Hall had many more shows ahead of it.

"We have a fabulous stage which you will not get any better in Ireland. The acoustics are brilliant. We have fabulous changing rooms.

"It's wonderful."