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Long wait pays off for Kilmeen Macra's actors

May 7th, 2017 8:00 AM

By Kieran O'Mahony

Kilmeen Macra Club members – winners of the Macra Na Feirme National Drama Final held in Aghada, Co Cork at the weekend. (Photo: O'Gorman Photography)

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It's been a long wait, 68 years in fact, since Kilmeen Macra won the organisation’s All-Ireland Amateur One Act Drama competition so their victory in Aghada recently was all the sweeter as they reclaimed the crown for West Cork.

IT’S been a long wait, 68 years in fact, since Kilmeen Macra won the organisation’s All-Ireland Amateur One Act Drama competition so their victory in Aghada recently was all the sweeter as they reclaimed the crown for West Cork.

As well as winning the overall competition, Adrian Grace won Best Supporting Actor on the night, and Mike Crowley picked up the Best Director Award for the play ‘Our Man’ by Daniel Clucas.

‘We’re absolutely delighted with the win as the last time Kilmeen Macra won it was way back in 1959, so this win was well overdue,’ Mike Crowley told The Southern Star.

‘We were very lucky with the cast who were fantastic and they certainly rose to the challenge in what was a difficult play to perform. We just kept our head down and made the play as good as we could, and we had no inkling that we would win, so we were pleasantly surprised.’

The cast of the play – which features six characters living inside the head of a soldier and controlling him – included Mary McCarthy, Rachel Sweetnam, Mary Connolly, Sarah Hayes, Adrian Grace, Seamus Tobin, director Mike Crowley and stage manager Nora Murphy.

‘The big thing from this is that Kilmeen Macra are back in drama and it’s educating a new young force, not only  for drama in Macra, but also for the Rossmore Drama Group,’ added Mike.

They competed against four other Macra teams that included Kinsale Macra who came second, as well as Freemount Macra, Kerry Macra and Ramor Macra, in the annual competition that took place over two nights last weekend.

Kilmeen Macra paid tribute to the great support from past and present members, as well as the large contingent of locals who travelled to East Cork to cheer on the Kilmeen actors on stage. 

A celebration party will take place in Tot’s Pub in Ballygurteen on Friday May 5th to recognise the club’s achievement. 

Music on the night will be provided by The West Cork Ramblers and all are welcome to attend.

The members of Kilmeen Macra are also toasting success on the pitch, as their players are now through to the All-Ireland Tag Rugby Finals in Athboy, Co Meath over the June Bank Holiday weekend. The club is always open to new members.

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