Plain Silly

The criticism levelled at Sligo Drama Circle at Monday night’s meeting of Sligo Corporation is, to put it bluntly, plain silly. The meeting was considering a grant towards the Theatre for Sligo project – a figure of £25,000 was mentioned – when Cllr. John Scanlon said he objected strongly to such a contribution on the grounds that no entry was received from the Drama Circle either for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade or for any of Sligo’s feiseanna. Surprisingly, Ald. Kay Guinane, who for years has been associated with the Drama Circle, and who knows better than anyone the difficulties encountered by amateur dramatic groups, also joined in the fray. She said that while the group competed in many competitions in towns throughout the country, they never supported the local feiseanna. “It was pathetic in recent years because there was no co-operation at all”, she alleged. She admitted the Circle had contributed a lot to Irish Theatre, but she said it was time they started supporting their local feiseanna and parade. And she added, “Three year’s ago, I tried to get a float from the Drama Circle into the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and only two people turned up to give me a hand. There is complete apathy among them. I would say to them to look up what they can do for Sligo instead of looking to what Sligo can do for them.

Ald. Guinane said she was in favour of establishing a theatre for Sligo, but she thought it would be better to erect a small theatre, perhaps as part of the proposed sports complex. This was an astonishing suggestion in itself, in view of the fact that the Drama Circle already has a site for the proposed theatre, donated by the Bishop of Elphin, at the Retreat House. It isn’t the first time that this business of the parade has been dragged into discussions at Sligo Corporation. In this case, the issue before the members had absolutely nothing to do with the parade; yet the clear implication is that the main yardstick by which civic-mindedness is judged is whether one participated in the parade. It should be clearly understood that the parade has no connection with Sligo Corporation, apart from the fact that the Mayor happens to be the Parade Committee’s Chairman; that their meetings are held in the Council Chamber; and that several councillors are members.

Condemning the Drama Circle for not participating in the parade is as unworthy as it is illogical. The Circle over the years has done as much for Sligo – some people would say more – than any parade. For most of the year, at considerable inconvenience to themselves, its members provide badly needed theatre for the Sligo public. Season after season they continue to produce entertainment of a quality which few other provincial cities in this country can offer. Tourists, in particular, are constantly amazed by the standard, and very many of them write back expressing genuine appreciation. Incidentally, the Drama Circle does all this in the worst possible stage conditions – conditions which were described by Cllr. Scanlon at the same meeting as a scandal to the town. He pointed out that the stage was in a deplorable state in City Hall. The electrical fittings are highly dangerous, the drop scenes are in such a bad state they could not be used at the Feis, and the spot lamps are defective. To suggest, as Cllr. Guinane suggested, that the Drama Circle should look to what they can do for Sligo, instead of looking to what Sligo can do for them, is simply to ignore the facts.

from The Sligo Champion, On the Line, by Seamus Finn, May 7th, 1976