Drama has long been an important part of the social life on Clare Island. Plays have been performed here for probably 100years. The production was usually done by either the priest or the teacher.
All this Came to an end in the mid 60’s and for a number of years no plays were done until about 1975 when a group of people got together and started to stage plays again. Each year since then the group has staged a play, with one or two exceptions.
Amongst the writers whose plays have been done are J.B. Keane, Brian Friel, J.M. Synge, Sean O’Casey, Oscar Wilde, and many more. It takes a lot of planning to stage a play in such a small community. Young and old are drawn in to help.
The group is very inclusive and all are welcome. Priests, teachers, nurses and others who come to work on the island, all take part.
The love of the stage starts in the national school with plays and concerts. It follows on into Secondary school where island students have played leading roles in the musicals that are staged very successfully in Sancta Maria College. While some go on to take to the stage at 3rd level and beyond, they all love to come back and help out with the local production.