Donegal on the double ahead of All-Ireland One Act Drama finals

Donegal will have two representatives at the ACDI/DLI All Ireland One Act Drama Festival Finals in Naas, Co Kildare, in early December.

Results from the final round of drama festivals saw Butt Drama Circle’s A Matter of Rights join Letterkenny Music and Drama Groups Cider Park in the final six.

Notably, both pieces are original new works. Cider Park was written by Letterkenny playwright Kieran Kelly, who also stars in the show, and A Matter of Rights was penned by Ballybofey’s Conor Malone.

The success of both plays underlines the high quality of both amateur drama and new writing to be currently found in Donegal. Both dramas tackle modern-day hot topics – Cider Park explores the implications of Artificial Intelligence while A Matter of Rights deals with the issue of immigration.

A Matter of Rights is a father-son confrontation. Da doesn’t like immigrants. There are too many of them. And the ones who aren’t skiving off handouts are taking our jobs. He’s just spent three months in prison, arrested for breach of the peace while protesting outside a hostel earmarked for asylum seeker accommodation.

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Son doesn’t approve of his Da’s views. Or his actions. Now that he’s home he’s determined to have it out with him. A powerful new play examining a fractured family and the fractured society that is Ireland today, A Matter of Rights has won festivals in Letterkenny and Kilticlogher with individual awards for actors JC Bonar and Mickey McMahon and Best Director awards for Shaun Laverty.

Are any of us unique? Or are we all merely photocopies of what has come before? Is anything we say or do original? These are just some of the ramblings debated by friends JP and Georgie as they sup their cans in an old, abandoned playground known as ‘Cider Park’.

When they are joined by the much older Ritchie, each of the three men are forced to confront their pasts, their present and their futures as they finally understand what it means to be ‘human’.

Directed by Michael Leddy, this thought-provoking and entertaining One Act play is brought to life onstage by Andrew Tinney, Kieran Kelly, and Cathal O Gallchoir. It’s been victorious at Bangor Drama Festival, Ballina Drama Festival and Castleblayney Drama Festivals in addition to scooping numerous individual awards on the Festival Circuit.

Both Cider Park and A Matter of Rights now go forward to compete in the All Ireland One Act Drama Finals at the Moate Theatre in Naas, Co Kildare on the weekend of December 6 and 7 and 8. There will be one last chance to see both shows on Donegal soil before the finals. The Balor Arts Centre, Ballybofey will host a double bill of A Matter of Rights and Cider Park on Tuesday, December 3 at 8pm. Tickets are €15 available from The Balor Box Office on 0749131840 or online at the Balor Theatre website.