Cork student wins All-Ireland Drama Festival Schools Playwright competition
Ivy Boland, a Transition Year student from Coláiste Éamann Rís, Turners Cross, Cork has been announced as the overall winner of the 2025 Schools Playwright Competition with her play ‘The Orchid’.
The competition is held in conjunction with the RTÉ All Ireland Festival Fringe and sponsored by the West-Midlands Credit Union. This competition, now in its 12th year, saw Transition Year students from 14 counties compete. Ivy was announced as the winner at the awards ceremony in the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, on Tuesday, for the creation of a one-act play on the theme of ‘Care’.
The guest speaker at the ceremony was Edward Hayden, chairperson of the Drama League of Ireland and an active member of the Ballycogley Drama Group players competing in this year’s RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival. Edward is a lecturer and leader of the Higher Certificate Food Course in the South East Technological University in Waterford.
His successful publication of cookery books has won him the prestigious Kerry Food Book of the Year award for his book ‘Food to Love’.
Ivy is a member of three local drama clubs. She has written, directed and acted in plays in and out of school and she is a member of her school’s Student Council. Ivy loves acting, writing, stagecraft, music and the visual arts. Her play ‘The Orchid’ was performed at the awards ceremony on Tuesday thanks to Alfie Kilduff and his team of actors. Ivy’s play ‘The Orchid’ works through the ‘care’ trauma feelings of a couple in grief over the loss of their baby girl where a potted orchid that divided them eventually unites them.
Clare Marron from Scoil Mhuire Community School, Clane, Co. Kildare came second with her play ‘Two Sides of the One Mind’. Clare’s play deals with a person’s efforts to cope with autism as one part of her mind wanders off and the other part goes looking for it.
Kate Heneghan from St. Raphaels’s Secondary School, Stillorgan, Dublin, came joint third. Kate’s play ‘When you have betrayed me’ concentrates on the caring nature of a good foster home that provides a place of happiness for a teenage boy.
Taylor Fogarty from St. Fergal’s College, Rathdowney, Co. Laois was also joint third with her play ‘Finding Home’. Taylor’s play concentrated on the student betrayal feeling among their classmates and the need to push against hate crime as they plan to protest at the election of a heartless leader who rejects foreigners, gay and transgender communities.
Pablo Cuentos Garcia from Castlerea Community College, Co. Roscommon took fourth with his play ‘The Caretaker’. His play centres on an uneasy father and son relationship that developed into an inspirational learning opportunity that had a unifying effect on them.
Adam Carmody from St. Vincent's, Castleknock College, Dublin, was in joint fifth place with his play ‘Emma’s Struggle’. This play deals with the emotional weight of caring for the inevitable acceptance of parting between a dying mother and caring daughter that must focus on the wealth and care they still have.
Hannah Hennessy from Coláiste Fionnchua, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, was also in joint fifth place with her play ‘Stalled’. Hannah’s play deals with what happens when you find yourself stranded among others in a stalled train carriage. Drifting moments, thoughts and dreams inspire a more satisfied lifestyle to decide on an alternative career.
Michael McGlone opened the prize giving ceremony. Billy Nott, co-ordinating judge, acted as MC. The judging panel of Clive Darling, Paddy Martin, Evelyn Breen, Caroline Coyle, Billy Nott and Joe MacCarrick presented the individual awards. Marise O'Toole, deputy CEO of sponsor West-Midlands Credit Union, presented the overall winner, before the performance of her winning play. Margaret Egan, Schools Playwright Co-ordinator, assisted by Joe MacCarrick organised the competition.