Celebrating More Than 50 Years of Drama in Sligo

The production of "Blithe Spirit" took a break on Wednesday November 17th, 1993, as the Irish soccer team were playing a crucial qualifying match against Northern Ireland for the 1994 World Cup. The 1-1 result ensured that "Jack's Army" qualified for USA '94.

Sligo Drama Circle was the first group to perform on the stage of the renovated Hawk's Well Theatre in 1996 with the production of "The Playboy of the western World" by John Millington Synge.

In 1997, Sligo Drama Circle donated £200 to famine relief in North Korea after the production of famine play "The Black Stranger" by Gerard Healy

In 1999, Sligo Drama Circle donated £300 to Special Olympics after the production of "Big Maggie" by John B. Keane.

Despite the foot and mouth crisis in 2001, Sligo Drama Circle's production of "The Odd Couple" still went ahead in the Hawk's Well theatre with disinfectant mats placed at the entrance to the theatre for patrons

The world famous playwright Brian Friel, author of plays such as 'Freedom of the City', 'Philadelphia Here I Come' and the Tony-award winning 'Dancing at Lughnasa', officially opened the Sligo Drama Circle's programme of summer theatre in 1973

The programme for the summer theatre series produced by the Sligo Drama Circle in 1974 cost 10p. Coffee and biscuits were served in the foyer at the interval which also cost 10p, however this was free to season ticket holders.

The Drama Circle produced four plays as part of its summer programme in 1970. The programme cost 1/- and the advertisers in the programme were: Keohane's Bookshop, Guinness, The Bonne Chere Restaurant and Guest House, Lough Gill Service Station, D. Taheny & Co., Kay Guinane's Celebration Cake Service, Klenu Laundry and Dry Cleaners and Johnstons.

As part of its jubilee season in 1981 the Drama Circle produced "Antigone" in Scoil Ursula, Strandhill Road. Admission was £1.50 and £1 for students and children.

John Mc Gahern, celebrated author of books such as "Memoir", "Amongst Women",  "The Barracks" and "The Dark" officially launched the summer season of theatre by the Sligo Drama Circle in 1976

Brendan Cauldwell, "Fair City" TV actor, started his career treading the boards with the Sligo Drama Circle

Joan O' Hara, "Fair City" TV actor, also played with the Sligo Drama Circle

Maria Mc Dermottroe, star of stage and screen, started her career with the Sligo Drama Circle

Shortly after the opening of the new Hawk's Well Theatre the Sligo Drama Circle production of Brian Friel's "Living Quarters" cost patrons £2.50, £2 and £1.50 for tickets

"Friends of the Sligo Theatre - Who are they? They are a very happy pair (a lady and a gent, OR two gents, OR a gent and a lady, OR two ladies) and they have a season ticket for Sligo Drama Circle's plays FOR THE NEXT YEAR. Sometimes they give it to their friends, and to their guests from America and places and they are thrilled ........ and they get a free programme and free coffee and biscuits at the interval ........ the ticket cost them £10 - well actually they both pitched in a fiver. If you can't beat them JOIN THEM." (Taken from programme for Summer Theatre 1974, Sligo Drama Circle)

RTE's Northern Correspondent Tommy Gorman tread the boards for Sligo Drama Circle in 1976  as the Third Roman Soldier in "Calvary"

Eileen Lambert, mother of world famous puppeteer Eugene, and past President of the Yeats Society, provided the Sligo Drama Circle with information for the compilation of programme notes for many years (one of her articles can be read HERE)

The programme for the Drama Circle production of "Death of a Salesman" in 1971cost 2½p (6d)

"Three Last Days" by Dorothy Sayers was performed in 1971 in the Holy Cross Friary

In 1962 "My Three Angels", which won several regional awards, came second in the All-Ireland final, losing by just one mark to Newry's "Our Town", a play incidentally which was directed by the SDLP's Seamus Mallon.

Chris Feeney, who played the part of Tommy Owens in Sligo Drama Circle's production of Seán O' Casey's "The Shadow of a Gunman", has gone on to make appearances in TG4's Ros na Rún, RTE1's "Fair City" and "Bachelor's Walk" and has also appeared in two feature films with US release tags.

The poster for the Drama Circle's production of  Samuel Beckett's "Endgame" in 1980 was designed by Sarah Brecht, a grand-daughter of the world-renowned German playwright Bertold Brecht.

David Kelly, star of stage and screen who lists Strumpet City, Fawlty Towers  and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory amongst his credits, directed Sligo Drama Circle's production of "The Evidence I Shall Give" in 1962.

Sligo Drama Circle's production of  "The Tailor and Ansty" by Eric Cross in 1981 was the last play to be presented in Sligo's Town Hall before it ceased as a drama venue prior to the opening of the Hawk's Well Theatre in 1982

Stuck for praise backstage after a theatre first night? Lie through your teeth and tell the victims six months later what you really thought. For more pearls of wisdom on how to cope with a theatre first night, read some advice from Fergus Linehan HERE.

The clock in Sligo Cathedral had to be silenced for the duration of  "A Man For All Seasons" produced by Sligo Drama Circle in the open air in the Retreat House Gardens beside the Cathedral.

The Sligo Drama Circle production of Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys" opened exactly fifty years to the day of the opening night of the first Drama Circle production of Gerard Healy's "Thy Dear Father", November 21st, 1956.

"Thy Dear Father" was presented on November 23rd 1956 by the Sligo Drama Circle in aid of the Hungarian Relief Fund in conjunction with the Irish Red Cross Society.

For the February 1959 production of Donagh Mc Donagh's "God's Gentry" in Sligo Town Hall, the Sligo Champion noted that "The hall will be specially heated with Calor Gas supplied by Meldrums, Castle St."

Maisie Mc Daniel, leading Irish female vocalist in the 1960's, performed in the Drama Circle production of "God's Gentry" in 1959. Maisie fronted her own band called "The Fendermen" and joined the famous "Nevada Showband" but was injured in a car accident before playing with them.

In his adjudication at the Ballyshannon Drama Festival in 1959, Tomás Mac Anna said that by staging "God's Gentry" the Sligo Drama Circle had shown courage and had made a niche for themselves in the amateur theatre world of Ireland.

The 2007 production of "The Plough and the Stars" by Seán O' Casey opened on the 81st anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, April 24th.

Tickets for the 1967 production of "The Man Who Came To Dinner" in the Gillooly Hall, Sligo cost 5/- (bookable) and 3/6.

The February, 1975 production of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" was officially opened by the Housewife of the Year" Mrs Freda Rooney to mark the Women's International Year.