Athlone Little Theatre marks 90 years with series of events

By Rebekah O'Reilly

A week of celebration, remembrance and reflection will mark 90 years of Athlone Little Theatre during Heritage Week 2026.

The milestone anniversary will be celebrated through a series of events, starting with a special exhibition in the Atrium at Athlone Civic Centre from Saturday, August 15, featuring photographs, programmes, memorabilia and memories from nine decades of productions.

A remembrance service will take place on Wednesday evening, August 19, to honour past members who helped build the foundations of the theatre, while a special celebration barbecue will be held on Friday, August 21, bringing together members, patrons and friends of Athlone Little Theatre.

The celebrations will continue later in the year with a revival of The Bishop’s Candlesticks in December, the one-act play which formed the curtain raiser for the theatre’s very first full-length production in 1936.

A podcast featuring reflections and reminiscences from across the theatre’s 90-year history is also planned before the end of the year, while an oral history project will gather memories and stories to create a valuable archive for future generations.

Nine Decades Of Theatre And Community

For long-time member Ray Collins, and chairperson and director Joe MacCarrick, the anniversary is not only a celebration of the present but a tribute to all those who created and sustained Athlone Little Theatre over the decades.

“The theatre was founded in 1936 by a group of people who decided they wanted to create a little theatre company in Athlone,” Ray said.

“They put an advertisement in the Westmeath Independent looking for members and a number of people joined. Their first full-length production was The New Gossoon, with The Bishop’s Candlesticks as the curtain raiser.”

Among those who played a central role in establishing the theatre were Lt Col Michael Cosgrave, Aileen Coughlan, Alfie Faulkner, Larry Hanley, Marie Lyster and others who laid the groundwork for what would become a treasured part of Athlone’s cultural life.

The early members had no permanent home. Rehearsals took place wherever space could be found, often in people’s homes, while performances were staged in venues including the Custume Barracks and the Father Mathew Hall, now the location of Luan Gallery.

The group eventually found a permanent base in 1965, when the former parish building at St Mary's Place was made available to the theatre on a long-term lease.

The building, which will celebrate its own 200th anniversary next year, had served many purposes over the years, including as a Protestant school, a church building, a hall, and a classroom for the Marist Brothers.

After extensive renovation, the Little Theatre opened its doors and has remained there ever since.

Ray joined Athlone Little Theatre in 1969 and has witnessed more than half a century of productions. He remembers a time when the theatre was almost like a school of drama, shaped by dedicated performers and directors.

“The standard of local talent was incredible,” he said. “People who were amateurs could have stood alongside professional actors. They had such dedication and commitment.”

Among the legendary figures who influenced generations of actors was founding member and director the late Aileen Coughlan.

“Aileen was very strict, but she was brilliant,” Ray said. “She directed me in The Playboy of the Western World, which I later performed professionally in the Abbey Theatre. I learned so much from her.”

Joe MacCarrick agreed that Aileen’s influence was immense.

“She was someone who could see potential in people,” he said. “If she thought you had it in you, she pushed you harder because she knew you could do better. She gave people the confidence and discipline they needed.”

That tradition of mentoring continues today, with directors and experienced members helping new performers develop their skills.

Ray recalled one of his earliest lessons in acting from Aileen. Before he even delivered his first line on stage, she made him repeatedly practise entering through a door.

“She told me, ‘Leave Ray Collins outside the door. You are Sean Keogh,’” he said. “That was the transformation she wanted, that you became the character.”

The theatre has always been more than a place for actors, with both Ray and Joe emphasising that the organisation depends on everyone involved, from performers and directors to set builders, lighting technicians, front-of-house volunteers and the audiences who have supported productions for generations.

“The audience is our backbone,” Joe said. “Without them, we wouldn’t exist.”

Ray described the relationship between the Little Theatre and its audience as something unique. With a seating capacity of around 100 people, the venue has an intimacy that larger theatres cannot always offer.

“They love the little theatre. They love the atmosphere,” he said. “It’s homely. It’s intimate. The audience are part of that community."

He added that Athlone Little Theatre has always been a welcoming place for people arriving in the town.

“It was a great place for people who came to Athlone through work or from elsewhere,” he said. “It helped people settle in and make friendships.”

The theatre has also played a significant role in developing performers who went on to wider success, while many productions have competed successfully at drama festivals.

Names such as Aileen Coughlan, Mel O'Flynn, and others remain part of the theatre’s proud history.

A Bright Future

Over 90 years, Athlone Little Theatre has staged more than 300 productions, covering every genre from classics and comedies to contemporary and experimental theatre.

“It’s not just a hobby. It’s something you love. Theatre has been here for 2,500 years and it has survived everything, television, cinema, technology," Joe said.

"As long as there are people who can walk across a stage and people who come to watch them, theatre will live forever.”

Recent productions have shown that willingness to take risks continues. A production of Six Characters in Search of an Author demonstrated the range and ambition of the company, while upcoming productions continue to introduce new members and directors.

“The interest from younger people is very encouraging. They are discovering that life is bigger than a screen,” Joe said.

"There is something unique about live theatre, that connection between the actors and the audience.”

Both men shared their belief that technology can support theatre, but will never replace the experience of live performance.

“AI and screens will never replace people walking onto a stage and performing in front of an audience,” Joe said. “That connection is what makes theatre special.”

For anyone who feels nervous about joining, the message from both members is simple: give it a try.

Joe said many people who became involved were initially shy but gained confidence through theatre.

“Once you stand on a stage and perform, it gives you confidence in every part of life,” he said. “You learn about yourself.”

Ray added that acting is similar to sport. “You have to train, learn your lines, work as part of a team and listen to your coach, and the director is your coach,” he said.

As Athlone Little Theatre celebrates 90 years, the focus is firmly on honouring the past while preparing for the next generation.

For Ray, the anniversary represents a continuation of a legacy. “It is like a new birth of another generation of theatre people,” he said. “Something that people loved and built is being carried on.”

For Joe, it is about carrying on the legacy and continuing to build on the strong foundation formed over the past 90 years.

“We are guardians of a legacy left to us by the people who founded it,” he said.

“It is our responsibility to pass it on.”