The always very successful Roscommon Drama Festival will take place in the Arts Centre, Roscommon from Friday 6th to Saturday 14th of March 2026.
Once again the premier festival of amateur drama will play host to many of the leading groups in the country as they present what can only be described as a wonderful feast of entertainment.
The festival kicks off on Friday, March 6th with Ballyturk, written by Enda Walsh. This will be performed by Kilmeen Drama Group. Saturday night (7th) sees New Heritage Theatre Group on stage with Deirdre Kinehan’s play Outrage, described as a “theatrical hurricane of emotion, empathy, action and truth”.
On Sunday the 8th The Nenagh Players present their interpretation of The Salvage Shop by Jim Nolan, “a compelling tale of familial recrimination, regret and rebirth”.
This is followed on Monday the 9th with Dunmore Amateur Dramatic Society’s production of An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen (a version by Rebecca Lenkiewicz). Tuesday (10th) sees Upstage Players from Claremorris take to the stage with the John B Keane classic The Year of the Hiker while on Wednesday the 11th Corofin Dramatic Society will entertain us with Wit written by Margaret Edson. This has been described as a play in which “you will feel both enlightened and in a strange way, enormously comforted”.
On Thursday (12th) Glenamaddy Players introduce audiences to Chapatti by Christian O’Reilly. This poignant and extremely funny play “shows us that love and romance can happen again after many years”.
Kilmuckridge Drama Group will present The Communication Cord by Brian Friel on Friday (13th) and the festival will draw to a close on Saturday (14th) with the John B Keane play Sive. This will feature Dalkey Players on the final and awards ceremony night with the play commencing at 7.30 pm.
The adjudicator for the festival is Paula Dempsey who is very well known and respected in Irish drama circles.
Booking can be made at Roscommon Arts Centre at 090 662 5824 or online at roscommonartscentre.ie. Tickets cost €20 nightly with a five-night ticket available at €90 and a season ticket for €135.
