President To Open Sligo’s New Theatre

The Hawk’s Well Theatre, which will be officially opened by An tUachtarán Dr. P. J. Hillery on Tuesday 12th January 1982 at 6.45pm, has the distinction of being the first purpose-built theatre west of the Shannon. Built at a cost of a quarter of a million pounds, the Hawk’s Well is centrally located in Temple Street, Sligo, alongside the new Tourist Office of the Donegal Leitrim Sligo Tourism Organisation.

The dream of a theatre for Sligo was first germinated in the early seventies by a local amateur drama group, the Sligo Drama Circle. This dream has become a reality through the initiative of the Regional Tourism Organisation which achieved the financial backing to build the theatre. The project marks the first occasion on which the two national agencies – the Arts Council and Bord Fáilte – combined with a local authority – Sligo Corporation – to provide the capital funds for a new arts facility.

On the opening night, the programme will highlight the depth of artistic talent in the West of Ireland. Said a spokesman: “We consider it appropriate that Druid – the only professional theatre company in the West – will present their new production of Shakespeare’s classic comedy “Much Ado About Nothing”. The location of the play has been transferred to a provincial garrison town in Ireland in the 1800’s. We are honoured to present this company whom many will recall from their prestigious Edinburgh Festival win some years ago”. Specifically for the opening night, Sligo’s performing acts will be represented by Sligo Drama Circle, Choral Society and CCE.

Sligo Drama Circle are the group whose energy initially focussed public attention on the need and desire for a Sligo Theatre. They will present “The Cat and the Moon” by W. B. Yeats. The Drama Circle recently celebrated their 25th anniversary, and, without a doubt, the opening of the Hawk’s Well will be the best birthday present they could have wished for. Providing the musical section of the night’s programme will be the Sligo Choral Society – a long established 55 strong choir, and the night will be rounded off by the best of traditional music from the Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann Sligo Branch.

The Hawk’s Well, with a capacity of up to 300 patrons, has all the modern facilities which will ensure comfort for both actors and audience, and is fully equipped technically. The year round programme will include both local amateur and national professional drama, music, film and small exhibitions. It will also be available as a conference venue. Most of the seats incorporate built-in fold-away writing tablets. The principals in the building project decided to form an independent company to run the theatre which has taken up a lease on the building for a long term at a peppercorn rent.

They nominated three persons each to serve on the Board of the Hawk’s Well Theatre Company and these are: Mr. Paul Byrne (County Manager) Chairman; Ald. Seán Nc Manus; Cllr. Declan Bree; Kevin Flynn (Music Promoter); Prof Thomas Kilroy (Playwright); Lionel Gallagher (Sligo Drama Circle); Brian Reddan (Regional Tourism Manager); Jim Gannon (Vice-Chairman Regional Tourism Organisation); and Joe Meehan (Sligo Drama Circle). The name of the theatre was chosen because of the Yeats-Sligo connection, and has as its inspiration one of his plays, “At the Hawk’s Well”, (a legend about the spirit of a well which many believe is situated in Sligo on the Ox Mountains).

The Hawk’s Well Theatre will be run on a break-even basis, but for the initial period, both Sligo Corporation and the Arts Council have allocated some amounts of grant-against-loss aid, though it is hoped it will not be necessary to draw on this. The Manager/Artistic Director, Rhoda Mac Manus, comes to the Hawk’s Well with ten years experience in the arts. Previously she worked at the Wexford Arts Centre, where she initiated an innovative community arts scheme in dance and visual art, covering the south-east region, and before that she administered a touring theatre company, Highway Shoes, who were based at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, Wales. Her apprenticeship was served for over four years in Ireland’s first arts centre, the Project, in her native city of Dublin.

The Druid Company’s “Much Ado About Nothing” will open to the public on Wednesday 13th January, and will run nightly at 8pm until Saturday 16th. The box-office will be open for booking from Monday 4th January (Daily 11.00 to 1.00pm and 2.00 to 7.00pm). As it is envisaged that interest in the newly opened theatre will ensure capacity audiences, patrons are advised to book early.

from The Sligo Champion, December 25th, 1981