Scoil Mhuire Ros Comáin are national winners of Féile Drámaíochta 2016.
Forty-nine sixth-class girls from the school took part in the competition in Mullingar Arts Centre on Monday, April 25th. Scoil Mhuire was named as All-Ireland winners within their own category and also won overall outstanding production of the Féile.
At All-Ireland level, the majority of the competitors come from Gaelscoileanna, both primary and secondary, so this is a major achievement for the school. Scoil Mhuire will receive their awards at a special ceremony in Croke Park on May 11th.
The Scoil Mhuire play is called Rí na Leon (the Lion King), a musical production co-written by one of the sixth-class teachers, Aidín Ní Dhonnchadha, with her father Tomás Ó Donnchadha, a well-known Gaeilgeoir, teacher and actor.
The other co-producers with Aidín were Kate Crehan and Clodagh McNamara, both sixth class teachers.
It is worth noting that many of the main characters not only have Irish as an additional language but English also.
The success of this production can be credited to a huge amount of teamwork, including support from the school staff and parents. The Cumann Scoildrámaiochta was set up in 1934, with the aim of brightening the lives of school children through the medium of drama.
Eighty-two years on drama is alive and well with over 11,000 children taking part in the various competitions around the country, north and south.
It is over 30 years since the first Féile Dramaíochta was held in Scoil Mhuire Convent Primary School.
Links were made with Seosamh Mac Gabhann, who has since died, from Kilmovee, near Ballaghaderreen, who was the national president of the organisation.
A branch was set up in Roscommon with the support of the then principal, Sr. Brid. The féile is open to school children from primary and second level schools as well as youth clubs. Since 1999, curricular pressures led the school to decide that the féile would be held on a bi-annual basis.
It is a huge success and Mrs Feeley, the Principal of the school, and the staff acknowledge the wonderful boost it gives to the children’s confidence and also their enjoyment of the Irish language.
This All-Ireland success is evidence that Drama and Gaeilge are alive and well in Scoil Mhuire!
