Support For Little Theatre

In the last two years, Sligo Drama Circle had grown into the most active amateur theatre company in the country and while that was a proud boast it was not an idle one and it was the intention to see that the company became even more active, said the Drama Circle’s Chairman, Mr. Liam Mc Kinney, speaking at the annual dinner of the company held in the Bonne Chere Restaurant, Sligo. Mr. Mc Kinney said membership was growing all the time and that was only as it should be as the society was not a closed circle; it was, in fact, very much an open one for the people of the town. It was a Sligo society which had enjoyed the support of Sligo over the years since 1956 when it was founded and he felt sure that the people would support it even more in the future when they may have to call on them in a more material sense.

“Sligo with its cultural conditions and its immense contribution to Irish literature and art deserves at the very least a theatre; not a silent, sterile monument built to show the world “what noble Romans these were”, but an active vibrant home of progressive thought in the arts and a workshop for the further development of our long standing traditions through our children”, went on Mr. Mc Kinney. “let me say here and now that there is no lack of determination on this matter in this society, but we need help – and like charity, it must begin at home before we can look abroad. I am sure we will not be disappointed and it is because of that confidence that we have started negotiations with at least one other interested party in the matter and we would indeed like to hear from any others there may be”.

Mr. Mc Kinney welcomed the Mayor, Mr. Michael Carroll, and referred to the departure from Sligo of two members of the Drama Circle, Mr. Shane Cleary and Mr. Seán O’ Reilly. The Mayor, Mr. Carroll, said he was very pleased indeed to attend that annual function which, he believed, marked the opening of a season in the work of the Drama Circle members, although as far as he could see it was hard to see when one season ended and another began for the Drama Circle members. Any Mayor of Sligo received numerous invitations to functions and it was not always easy to attend them all, but it had always been his contention that the First Citizen of the town should make it his business to be present at the functions of those organisations that by their work and attitudes reflected the nature and heart of the town and Sligo Drama Circle was such an organisation.

Time and again the Drama Circle had brought distinction to Sligo and indeed he felt that not full recognition had been given to the members in the past for this. He could hardly think of any other group in the town which had stayed so consistently at the top of their activities as the Drama Circle but probably more important, it had guarded well the long traditions of their craft in Sligo, but, he might add by sticking to past formulas which led to stagnation, but in the common sense progress with the times. He would not regard himself as a theatre critic in any sense but he thought he could still call himself the average playgoer and perhaps in that way more important to a group such as the Drama Circle. What pleased him about the Circle was that while their shows were always of the highest standard, they never attempted to fly over the heads of the ordinary man and there were enough in this country trying this trick. The dedication and energy of the society was what he most admired above all and he was told that they had already a programme planned up until next September which would involve all the members virtually every week. It was obvious that this was not a society where one contribution was made by mere physical presence and it was also evident from their achievements that it was not a ‘who’s who’ society, but a group of dedicated people from all walks of life. Members gave unselfishly of their time for the civic good as was witnessed by their last two summer seasons.

The Mayor said he would like to endorse the remarks about the proposed Little Theatre made by Mr. Mc Kinney. It was a project that deserved the full support of the people of the town and particularly of the authorities here. “Let me assure you that any support that I can give will be speedily forthcoming”, went on the Mayor. “Undoubtedly, Sligo is fast becoming the growth point of the North-West and undoubtedly too, we are moving into an age where the demand for thing cultural and fine things in life is growing. Now is the time to plan the ways and means of meeting these demands. Let us not forget that our planning should always reflect our desire to ensure that what we provide for those coming after us will afford every child of this town an opportunity to develop a fullness of personality. Let us plan that the texture of life in the future Sligo will be generous and worthy of our heritage and so I call on all bodies and people interested in seeing this to join with the Drama Circle in getting their worthy project off the ground”.

Very Rev. Fr. T. Jordan, O.P., Prior, Holy Cross, Sligo, referred to the link between the church and drama, while Mr. Pádraig Foran thanked the Mayor and Rev. Fr. Jordan for attending and said they had received every encouragement from the Mayor and Corporation as far as the Little Theatre project was concerned.

from The Sligo Champion, November 19th, 1971