One Act Drama Festival 2024

“The Quiet Land” by Malachy McKenna

Two elderly farmers, Eamon and Nashee, meet at a gate on a remote hillside. These men are old friends, old rivals, old neighbours. They are men of heart, of humour, of hardness. Their conversation is a throwback to a gentler time, when silence was as telling as declaration and meaning was more often found between the lines than on them. But there's nothing gentle about today's conversation. In facing the bitter reality of their remote defiance, Eamon and Nashee have grown fearful and desperate. Now they are forced to confront each other with some heartbreaking truths that test their friendship to its limit. After today, will they ever again talk on this hillside?

Kilmeen Drama Group

Kilmeen Drama Group are based in Rossmore, West Cork and regularly compete on both the 1-Act and 3-Act circuits, as well as producing shows locally in St. Mary’s Theatre, Rossmore.

“Dead Man’s Bells” by Maebh de Brun

Dead Man’s Bells is a rural tale told by three sisters whose intermingling narrative draws the audience in through fourth wall breaks and the reconstruction of events through staged memory. They take us on a journey through the misdeeds of their brother, the family farm that’s up for grabs, and the actions they felt driven to. Communally woven, it explores the shared chorus of siblinghood and the weight of unspoken family secrets.

Skibbereen Theatre Society

Skibbereen Theatre Society was founded in 1989. Since then it has been putting on annual performances in the local town hall. Traditionally the group has done full length plays and has competed in the confined festival circuit with some success. Lately they have explored one act plays which have been very popular with the local audiences. This year will be the group’s second time on the one act festival circuit, and they are looking forward to the experience.

“Even Numbers” by Tony Domaille

Mary-Ann has poisoned and killed five people, and Doctor Vincent must make an assessment of her mental state for the court. In trying to establish if she is insane, or just plain evil, a shocking truth is uncovered.

Palace Players

Palace Players, formed in 1989, have been performing in festivals up and down the country ever since on the full length and one-act circuits. 2015 win the All-Ireland Open in Athlone with Tom Murphy’s “Conversations on a Homecoming” and in 2017 they took to the road with “Malachy McKenna’s “The Quiet Land”, subsequently winning the One-Act All-Ireland in Letterkenny. This year, Palace Players are delighted to present “Even Numbers” By Tony Domaille, directed by the groups Liam Howard.

“Save Me” by Mark O’Leary

A man stands atop a bridge - what brought him up there and what will it take to get him down again? This drama explores the meaning of life, love and doing what's right.

Brideview Drama Group

Brideview Drama Group is based in Co. Waterford. The group was formed in the late 1980s and began competing in the early 90s, winning the confined Three-Act Final in 2005 with Moonshine by Jim Nolan.

They qualified for the Open All-Ireland Finals for the first time in 2018 with Stolen Child, finishing in second place. They reached the finals again in 2019 with Philadelphia, Here I Come, finishing in 3rd place.

They also stage a very successful Autumn production annually in their local community.

“Poker Night” by Dan Mooney

Poker Night is a short play for two characters written in 2021 by Dan Mooney, a Limerick novelist, screenwriter, actor and member of Torch Payers. “Leonard” and “Alfie” are the last two remaining of a group of five friends who met regularly to play poker. The other three have all died from Covid. The two characters keep the card game going while the memories of their friends keep coming and they adjust to their losses and to each other. Their story is illustrated with a mixture of humour and pathos. The play runs for about 25 minutes. The theme is human and compassionate. It contains coarse language in the manner of everyday vernacular conversation.

Torch Players

Torch Players were founded in Limerick in 1976. They initially concentrated on producing One-Act plays and were successful on the festival circuit, coming Third in the One-Act Finals in 1977 and 1979. The group went on to produce several Three-Act plays which they brought on the festival circuit, qualifying for the finals in Athlone on 13 occasions including 9 consecutive appearances. While they have not competed on the circuit for several years, Torch Players have been a stalwart of the Amateur Drama scene in Limerick up to the present and the group is delighted to be back on the One-Act circuit in 2024.

“Baby Steps” by Moira Mahony & Sarah Fahy

This is a story about Ash and Chris as they move from their hometown in Galway to Oxford in an effort to fix their broken marriage and escape the small-town gossips. If it wasn’t hard enough to make a marriage work, they’ve thrown in the one thing guaranteed to test even the strongest relationship – building flat pack!

Clann Machua Drama Group

Kiltimagh has had a long tradition of Amateur Dramatics going all the way back to the formation of the Kiltimagh’s “Young Mens” Association in 1906. Until the mid-1990’s, there were various active drama & musical groups within the community. The seeds of the current organisation were sown in 2001, when a group came together to perform ‘Big Maggie’ by John B. Keane. It wasn’t until 2010 however when Clann Machua Drama Group officially formed to revive the great drama tradition in Kiltimagh. The Group’s first production was in 2011 performing ‘A Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer’s Assistant’ by Tom Murphy. The group hosts its annual ADCI one act festival in November each year and are regular participants on the one act drama circuit. The group also participate in the full-length circuit performing Sean O’Casey’s ‘Juno & The Paycock’ & ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ by Martin McDonagh. As well as taking ‘Sive’ and ‘Stolen Child’ to the All Ireland Finals in 2022 and 2024 respectively. In 2018, Mayo County Council’s Arts Office awarded Clann Machua “Best Drama Group” in the County’s Amateur Drama Awards section.

“Adrift” by George Infini

Adrift is a dark comedy. It is the story of three sailors thrown overboard from a British naval vessel in the 1800’s after a failed mutiny. It examines human vulnerability, fear, and the dark humor that often arises in the face of catastrophe. The play is both a reflection on the fragility of life and a humorous take on how people cope with extreme circumstances.

Bualadh Bos

Bualadh Bos Oranmore Drama Group was set up in 2003 when a need was recognised for a drama group in the town. Since then we have grown from strength to strength. We perform two plays a year, two one acts in spring and a three-act drama in winter. “Adrift” was very well received in Oranmore when we performed it a few months ago. This is our second venture on the circuit, we are delighted to be part of your festival in Doonbeg with this wonderful play and wish you a successful festival.

“It’s Always the Quiet Ones” by Niall Carmody

In a brightly lit cottage on a dark, dreary night, a desperate architect and a gormless schoolteacher make panicked last-minute touches to their home while they wait for a long-anticipated stranger to call... From the moment she crosses their threshold, the delicate battle begins to convince her to do the unthinkable. Questions of morality arise as the plot twists and turns.

Conna Drama Group

Conna, a small rural village in East Cork, has a long history of drama. The Conna Drama Group was reformed in 1991 having been inactive for a number of years. Since then, they have successfully staged a full length play annually as well as numerous one act productions with proceeds going to the local community. The group has competed in the Confined One Act circuit since 2015 and qualified for the All-Ireland finals in 2021 & 2022.

“Dragonflies” by Liam McCarthy

The Pery Players, a local drama group, are rehearsing for tomorrow night’s opening performance of ‘The Mayflies’. As with all last-minute rehearsals, everything is not going to plan. One of the leading ladies can’t remember her lines, or even to show up. The director and her husband are at loggerheads, and everyone seems to be in love with the wrong person!

Ennis Players

Ennis Players has a long relationship with the 1-Act festival circuit, having qualified for the finals on many occasions and winning the titles in 2001 with ‘Lone Star’ and in 2004 with ‘The Dandydolls’. The group has also had the privilege of hosting the finals on three occasions, most recently in 2021. They look forward to another exciting year participating.

“A Matter of Life and Death” by Michael Sullivan

Set entirely in one room, in real time, we open the play witnessing David, a depressed and lonely man, drinking his sorrows.

A visit from his brother-in-law, Otis, a drug dealer and all-round not a great guy, sees David give the rest of his money away for one bottle of pills. Now alone, David decides to swallow the entire bottle, with the express intention of ending his life. Finally, he can be at peace. Until he meets Death.

Shannonside Drama Group

Shannonside Drama Group was formed in 2004. We have performed numerous plays in our local community such as “A Wake in the West”, “Don’t Tell the Wife” and “Sive” to name a few. We have also taken part in the one act circuit and the full-length circuit over the years. We won the one act circuit in 2010 with Harold Pinter’s play “Landscape”. We competed and got to the Open finals in 2012 with Caryl Churchills play “Three more sleepless nights”. It’s been a few years since we competed on the One Act Circuit, and we are rearing to go!!!!