All-Ireland winning production with Gaoth Dobhair and Letterkenny dates

Letterkenny Music and Drama Group are delighted to be returning to An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny, with a farewell performance of their All-Ireland winning production.

Their One Act play, Cider Park, takes to the stage on Saturday May 10, at 8.30pm - please note the later start time due to Donegal competing in the Ulster Final on the same evening.

Written by group member Kieran Kelly, this brand new 45-minute play entered on the One Act Drama Festival Circuit last October and November, scooping up numerous awards on its way to qualifying for the All-Ireland One Act Drama Finals in Naas in December.

By virtue of their festival wins in Bangor, Castleblayney and Ballina, the group qualified for the All-Ireland Finals for the very first time and took home the top prize of Best Open Play, while Kieran Kelly, who also acts in the play, won All-Ireland Best Actor and Andrew Tinney won a Summer School Scholarship.

As a result of their success, the group have been asked to perform as part of the fringe events of the Three Act Drama Finals in Athlone in a few weeks and have decided to bring the play back to An Grianán Theatre for one final performance, as well as a performance in the Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair on Wednesday, May 7.

“It was a night I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” says Kieran Kelly of that memorable night in the Moat Theatre in Naas back in December. “It really was a dream come true to hear our group being read out as the All-Ireland winners in a really tough competition. The top three places were all pieces of new writing too and that really is a great reflection of the immense new writing talent that is out there at the minute, something that really does bode well for the future.”

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To cap a proud night for the county, fellow Donegal group, the Butt Drama Circle, came third with their top class production of Conor Malone’s A Matter of Rights, another new play from an emerging Donegal playwright. 

“The competition was really fierce,” Kieran continues, “and to win our first Open All-Ireland title against so many other talented groups was a testament to all the hard work we all put into it. It’s great to have the opportunity to bring it back one last time now and take a final bow, although it will be sad to say goodbye to it.”

Director Michael Leddy adds: “It really was such a special achievement to win the All-Ireland and one that we were all delighted to be a part of. From the actors on stage to Tom Nelis and Eoghan McGiolla Bhrighde on sound and lights, we had a great wee team on the journey and we are just thrilled to be returning one last time to perform in An Grianán Theatre with this very unique play.”

Set in an abandoned children’s playground, Cider Park is a comedy drama that tells the story of two men, J.P. (Kieran Kelly) and Georgie (Andrew Tinney), as they debate various topics over ‘a bag of cans’. When they are joined by the much older Ritchie (Cathal Ó Gallchóir), the debates intensify and the men learn that there is more to their relationships than they previously thought, as many truths come out that are both surprising, tragic and ultimately heart-warming.

“It’s a play about ‘identity’ – who am I in this modern world?” Kieran explains. “Between all the fake images we see on social media and the growing prevalence of AI in our daily lives, I wanted to question the very idea of what it is exactly that makes us ‘human’.” 

“But it’s not as serious as all that,” Michael laughs. “It really is a very funny piece of writing, mixed in with all the drama, making it a fantastic evening of theatre for the audience and something which, we hope, people will walk away from with a lot of questions answered and a lot of answers questioned!”

Do not miss this top class award-winning production of “Cider Park” when it is performed on Wednesday, May 7, at 8pm in the Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair (contact 07495-31611) and on Saturday, May 10, in An Grianán Theatre at 8.30pm. Tickets are only €12 and can be purchased through An Grianán Theatre box office on 07491-20777 or www.angrianan.com.