Sligo Group’s Dual Success

A well merited dual success was scored by the Sligo Drama Circle at the Festival when they won the premier award, the Canon Gildea Trophy in the open three-act section for their presentation of “The Crucible”, the classic of the American theatre by Arthur Miller, and also took the Committee’s Silver Cup in the open section for one-act plays for their production of “The Pot of Broth” by W.B. Yeats. And the producers of both plays, Liam Mc Kinney who was responsible for “The Crucible”, and Seán O’ Reilly, who produced “The Pot of Broth, figured in the list of those who received silver medals for production.

The adjudicator, Miss Nora Lever, of Dublin, heaped praise heavily on the Sligo Drama Circle, commenting that in the 29 years history of the festival she doubted if there had ever been staged a play of such professional excellence by an amateur group as “The Crucible” in which she was unable to single out any one individual member of the cast of 21 for special mention, the all round playing was of such a sound, even and high standard level. Referring to “The Pot of Both” she said that in her career she had never seen a better presentation, either amateur or professional, of this well known Yeats play.

from The Sligo Champion, March 17th, 1972