Theatre Donation

A first donation of one hundred dollars towards The Little Theatre Fund in Sligo was handed over by the Mayor, Cllr. Martin Keaveney, to members of Sligo Drama Circle on Friday night last. The gift was from the Mayor of St. Louis, Mr. John H. Boelker, who presented it to Mayor Keaveney when he was in St. Louis to lead the St. Patrick’s Day parade there. Cllr. Keaveney, who distributed Drama Circle brochures at a number of functions in the U.S., said that he expected many more American dollars would be contributed to the fund to establish a theatre in Sligo. He said that Sligo was expected to grow to 35,000 people in the future and the provision of a theatre in the city would ensure that cultural facilities would be available and that this growth would not be confined to the industrial and business spheres. Mr. Lionel Gallagher, on behalf of the Drama Circle, thanked the Mayor and the Corporation for their interest in the project. “This will be a civic amenity not just for the Drama Circle but for the people of Sligo and the North-West”, he said. Mr. Gallagher said that as a gesture of thanks and appreciation of the gift from the Mayor of St. Louis, the Circle would put on a special show for a party of between 50 and 70 people from St. Louis who are expected to visit Sligo in September.

from The Western People, April 13th, 1974