2026 South Wicklow Drama Festival
The 2026 South Wicklow Drama Festival took place in St. Brigid’s Hall, Carnew from Friday 13th – Saturday 21st March (excl. Thur 19th March).
The launch of the 2026 South Wicklow Drama Festival took place on Sunday 22nd February in Jim Byrne’s, Carnew. We were delighted to welcome SWDF Founder Member, Lar Duffy, to officially launch the Festival.
We welcomed Paddy Farrelly (ADA) as our 2026 Festival Adjudicator who shared his expertise with our audiences and groups throughout the festival.
Check out the fantastic line up of plays which took part in the 2026 South Wicklow Drama Festival below.
We once again enjoyed welcoming old friends, and new, to enjoy a celebration of amateur drama in St. Brigid’s Hall.
2026 Festival Adjudicator – Paddy Farrelly (ADA)
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Paddy Farrelly is a highly experienced theatre professional with over 20 years of involvement in acting, directing, production, and lighting design. As Technical Manager at the Ramor Theatre in Virginia, he plays a key role in shaping both the artistic and technical aspects of live performance. A graduate of University College Dublin, Paddy has an MA in Theatre Practice & Performance, reflecting his deep academic and practical engagement with theatre. His extensive career in amateur drama has seen him excel across multiple disciplines, earning recognition at the Confined Drama Finals on numerous occasions. A crowning achievement came in 2013 when he directed Mark Doherty’s “Trad” for Millrace Drama Group, winning the prestigious Claregalway Trophy. In addition to his production and directing work, Paddy is an accomplished lighting designer, with credits including Calendar Girls (Ramor Players), At the Black Pig’s Dyke (Culture Cavan), Stolen Child (Ramor Players), Cartographers Pen (Town Hall Cavan) , and The Whispering Chair (Livin Dred) Robin & Dawn (Bewleys Café Theatre) among many others. His versatility across genres—from contemporary drama to classic works—highlights his keen artistic vision and technical skill. Since 2022, Paddy has been a member of The Association of Drama Adjudicators (ADA), bringing his wealth of experience to festivals across Ireland. He has adjudicated both one-act and full-length festivals in all four provinces, offering insightful critique and encouragement to amateur theatre groups nationwide. Beyond the stage, Paddy has been an innovator in the theatre community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he founded and produced the ADCI Lockdown Conversations, fostering connection and discussion among artists during a challenging time. This is Paddy’s first visit to South Wicklow Drama Festival as adjudicator, but not his first time in Carnew as he directed Sillan Players as competitors on many occasions. He looks forward to a feast of theatre and meeting and engaging with groups and you the audience alike over the week. |
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Fionnula Flanagan officially opens the 2026 SWDF
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Fionnula Flanagan is one of Ireland’s most distinguished and internationally acclaimed actors. Born in Dublin, Fionnula has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning stage, film and television for more than six decades. She first came to prominence in Irish theatre before achieving global recognition for her work in Hollywood and on American television.
Her many film credits include Four Mothers, The Others, Yes Man and Waking Ned Devine. Television audiences around the world know her from acclaimed series such as Lost, Star Trek, and Brotherhood and numerous guest appearances across major productions. Theatre credits include The Ferryman and Ulysses in Nighttown, both performed on Broadway, for which she received Tony Award Nominations for Best Actress in a Featured Role. She also appeared in A Christmas Carol at The Gate Theatre in Dublin. Fionnula has received multiple awards and honours for her contribution to the arts, including the IFTA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. She continues to be celebrated for her powerful performances and her enduring connection to Irish storytelling and theatre. We were honoured to welcome Fionnula Flanagan as she officially opened this year’s festival. |
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Winners of the 2026 South Wicklow Drama Festival
Award Winners of the 2026 South Wicklow Drama Festival pictured with Festival Secretary Kevin McEvoy, Adjudicator Paddy Farrelly and Festival Chair Eamonn Doran.
Confined Section
1st – Gorey Little Theatre – ‘Gut’
2nd – Tinahely Variety Group – ‘Moonglow’
Open Section
1st – Ballycogley Players – ‘All My Sons’
2nd – Thurles Drama Group – ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’
3rd – Bunclody-Kilmyshall Drama Group – ‘Da’
Confined Section:
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Roy O’Connor, Gorey Little Theatre
Best Actor in a Major Role – Fergus Garrett, Tinahely Variety Group
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Marion Murphy, Gorey Little Theatre
Best Actress in a Major Role – Lily Henrich Doyle, Gorey Little Theatre
Best Director – Stephen Acton, Gorey Little Theatre
Open Section:
Best Supporting Actress – Ciara Spellman, Ballycogley Players
Best Supporting Actor – Pat Loughnane, Thurles Drama Group
Best Actress – Geraldine Delaney, Thurles Drama Group
Best Actor – Sean Carthy, Ballycogley Players
Best Director – Brigid Scully, Ballycogley Players
Adjudicator Award 1 – Lighting – Eddie O’Brien, Gorey Little Theatre
Adjudicator Award 2 – Costumes – Helen Cahill & Catherine Murphy, Thurles Drama Group
Adjudicator Award 3 – New performer – Jay Swinburne, Ballycogley Players
Best Comedy Performance (Jim Tighe Trophy) – Billy Canning as Da, Bunclody-Kilmyshall Drama Group
Magic Moment in Theatre (Pat Connaughton Award) – Gerry and Chris in the garden – Thurles Drama Group
Audience Cup (Altura Credit Union Award) – ‘Da’ performed by Bunclody-Kilmyshall Drama Group
Best Presentation – Ballycogley Players – ‘All My Sons’
Members of Gorey Little Theatre who won the Confined Section with their production of ‘Gut’ pictured with Festival Secretary Kevin McEvoy, Festival Adjudicator Paddy Farrelly (ADA) and Festival Chairman Eamonn Doran.
Members of Ballycogley Players who won the Open Section with their production of ‘All My Sons’ pictured with Festival Chair Eamonn Doran, Festival Adjudicator Paddy Farrelly (ADA) and Festival Secretary Kevin McEvoy.
2024 South Wicklow Drama Festival
The 2024 South Wicklow Drama Festival took place from Friday 15th – Saturday 23rd March (excluding Sunday 17th March) in St. Brigid’s Hall, Carnew.
We were delighted to have our 2024 Festival launched by Ettie Kilbride at our Launch Night in Jim Byrne’s on Thursday 22nd February.
Liam Hannaway, Chairman of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, officially opened the festival on Friday 15th March. Liam is a good friend to South Wicklow Drama Festival having brought many productions to Carnew with his own drama group, the Lislea Dramatic Players. We were honoured to welcome Liam in his capacity as Chairman of the ADCI.
We were delighted to welcome Imelda McDonagh as our 2024 adjudicator. Imelda is the President of the Association of Adjudicators (ADA).
The Winners of the 2024 South Wicklow Drama Festival
Confined Section
1st – Kilrush Drama Group – ‘Hooked!’
2nd – The Clodiagh Players – ‘Trad’
3rd – Kilmuckridge Drama Group – ‘I Do Not Like Thee Dr, Fell’
Open Section
1st – Ballycogley Players – ‘Out of Order’
2nd – Bridge Drama – ‘The Wake’
3rd – Bunclody-Kilmyshall Drama Group – ‘The Lonesome West’
Confined Section:
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Eddie Condon as Fr. Rice in ‘Trad’, Clodiagh Players
Best Actor in a Major Role – John Redmond, in ‘Hooked!’, Kilrush
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Kay Cahill as Mary in ‘Hooked!’, Kilrush
Best Actress in a Major Role – Erin Hogan as Lydia, in ‘Hooked!’, Kilrush
Best Director – Niall McGrath – ‘Hooked’, Kilrush
Open Section:
Best Supporting Actress – Catherine Stafford as Pamela Willey in ‘Out of Order’, Ballycogley
Best Supporting Actor – Ken Murphy as Finbar in ‘The Wake’, Bridge
Best Actress – Mairéad Ryan as Vera in ‘The Wake’, Bridge
Best Actor – Fr. Pat Mernagh as Richard Willey in ‘Out of Order’, Ballycogley
Best Director – Pat Whelan – ‘Out of Order’, Ballycogley
Adjudicator Award 1 – Tom Kennedy & Kris Mooney, for lighting design, Balally
Adjudicator Award 2 – Joseph Sunderland, Bridge
Adjudicator Award 3 – Mag Clooney for window work, Ballycogley
Best Comedy Performance (Jim Tighe Trophy) – Sean Carthy as George in ‘Out of Order’, Ballycogley
Magic Moment in Theatre (Pat Connaughton Award) – The fight scenes in ‘The Lonesome West’, Bunclody-Kilmyshall
Audience Cup (Altura Credit Union Award) – ‘Out of Order’ – Ballycogley Players
Best Presentation – ‘The Wake’ by Bridge Drama
Adjudicator – Imelda McDonagh
Imelda McDonagh is a multi-award-winning director and actress with a first-class honours M.A. in Theatre Studies. She is a qualified Make-Up Artist and holds a Licentiate in Speech and Drama from the London College of Music.
A lifetime of performance has led to the creation of some of her favourite roles, including Lady Bracknell in Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest, Blanche in William’s A Streetcar named Desire, Stephanie in Kempinski’s Duet for One, Gertrude in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Kate in Miller’s All My Sons, as well as the monologue plays: Baglady by Frank McGuinness, Jennifer Johnston’s Christine and Dermot Bolger’s The Holy Ground. Also at home in the world of musical theatre, Imelda has won the coveted Association of Irish Musical Societies’ award (AIMS) for Best Director with her production of Kiss Me Kate and was nominated as Best Director for the amateur premiere of The Ha’penny Bridge and Michael Collins, a Musical Drama, winning the AIMS overall award for Best Show from a field of over fifty productions. She is currently directing The Producers for Enniscorthy Musical Society.
Currently President of the Association of Drama Adjudicators, Imelda has enjoyed adjudicating since 2001, including the Finals for Macra na Feirme and the ICA. Since she took early retirement form her career as a secondary teacher of English and Drama in 2012, she has enjoyed the freedom to travel throughout Ireland to adjudicate in every province. In 2017, she adjudicated the Confined Drama Finals in Tubercurry and, in 2018, the One-Act Finals in Kilmuckridge and, in 2019, the All-Ireland Drama Finals in Athlone. She is looking forward to adjudicating the UK One Act Finals in 2023.
Imelda has also been awarded The Civic Merit Award for her services to the community by President Michael D. Higgins.
2024 Festival Line-Up
Festival 2019
The 2019 South Wicklow Drama Festival was officially opened by Imelda MacDonagh and the adjudicator was Ailbhe Garvey Hughes.
The Winners of the 2019 South Wicklow Drama Festival:
Confined Section
1st – Skibbereen Theatre Society, The Beauty Queen of Leenane
2nd – Kilmuckridge Drama Group, The Righteous are Bold
3rd – Tinahely Drama Group, Eclipsed
Open Section
1st – Bridge Drama, Brighton Beach Memoirs
2nd – Kilrush Drama Group, The Steward of Christendom
3rd – Wexford Drama Group, Rabbit Hole
Confined Section:
Best Supporting Actress – Tara Murphy, Tinahely
Best Supporting Actor – Barry Turner, Kilmuckridge
Best Actress -Hannah McNiven, Kilmuckridge
Best Actor – Aidan McParland, Lislea
Best Director – Ger Minihane, Skibbereen
Open Section:
Best Supporting Actress – Danielle Reck, Wexford
Best Supporting Actor – Billy Canning, Bunclody-Kilmyshall
Best Actress – Mairéad Cummings, Bridge
Best Actor – Michael Dunbar, Kilrush
Best Director – Pat Whelan, Bridge
Adjudicator Award 1 – For a moment of real theatre, Skibbereen Theatre Society for the pouring of boiling oil.
Adjudicator Award 2 – Gorey Little Theatre Group for seamless transitions from past to present.
Adjudicator Award 3 – Kilrush Drama Group for their lighting and soundscape.
Best Comedy Performance (Jim Tighe Trophy) – Tara Murphy, Tinahely
Magic Moment in Theatre (Pat Connaughton Award) – Niall Kehoe’s haunting but glorious singing as Willie, Kilrush Drama Group.
Audience Cup (Altura Credit Union Award) – Bunclody- Kilmyshall Drama Group, Moonglow
Best Presentation – Kilrush Drama Group, The Steward of Christendom
