Athlone welcomes the best in amateur theatre as RTE Drama Festival opens

The RTE All-Ireland Drama Festival begins today, May 2 heralding in nine nights of quality drama performances as well as a number of exhibitions and workshops as part of the festival’s fringe line up.

This, the 61st RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival, is the premier theatrical event of its kind in Ireland, showcasing the very best of Irish amateur theatre and attracting thousands of visitors to Athlone, where it takes place every year.

The nine-day festival takes place in the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone from Thursday, May 2 to Friday, May 10. Nine drama groups from around the country will perform and compete in the festival.

The festival will be opened today by screen and stage actor Eamon Morrissey, best known recently for his role as Cass Cassidy in Fair City. Festival director Joe McCarrick said that he is looking forward to having such a distinguished actor perform the official opening.

During the week of the Festival, RTÉ will broadcast daily reports from the RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival on RTÉ Radio 1 and on RTÉ One Television with RTÉ’s Karina Buckley reporting for The Ronan Collins Show, Marian Finucane and Morning Edition. The Ronan Collins Show and Marian Finucane will also be broadcasting live from RTÉ’s Athlone studio during the event.

The first theatre group to open the drama festival will be the Estuary Players from Dublin staging Tom Griffin’s The Boys Next Door. The play promises to be both funny and moving. There will also be many free fringe events as part of the drama festival. For full details see this week’s Westmeath Independent or www.dramafestival.ie.