Drama In Sligo

Sligo has always enjoyed a reputation in the amateur theatrical world. Many years ago the Temperance Dramatic Society, under the direction of the late John Monson, performed many successful plays, but their big achievement came as a result of the presentation of the musical play “Flowers of the Forest”. The Sligo Catholic Institute presented many plays and the dramatic and operatic society attached to the Institute numbered among its members many splendid amateur actors and singers. Among their many achievements, and one of their finest, was the production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado”, in which the late Mr. Jim Higgins (Mayor of Sligo) played an important part. The Institute Players at this time were under the direction of Mr. W. P. Gilbert and Mr. J. Shea.

To come to more recent times. The Sligo Premier Players performed many successful comedies under the direction of Jim Wynne and, later, by T. P. Mc Cusker, winning many Feiseanna trophies. However, it was not until 1935 that honour was brought to Sligo through the medium of the Unknown Players, who scored first places at Belfast and Marian Arts Guild (Dublin) with T. C. Murray’s “Autumn Fire”. The artistes in the Belfast and Dublin productions included Alf Rochford, Jill Noon, Margaret Hughes, Harry Hallowes, Bill Gallagher, Hannie Wynne, Rita Mc Lynn and Joe Burns. In each instance the production as under the direction of Jim Wynne, and the Players wound up two successful seasons by carrying off first prizes at Sligo Feis Ceoil and Feis Shligigh.

from The Sligo Champion Centenary Number 1836-1936