Ghostly drama for Dunmore Hall

DUNMORE Town Hall is set to welcome Claremorris drama group Upstage Players who will perform Conor McPherson’s powerful drama The Weir.

The play will be presented for two nights this week - Wednesday, February 19 and Thursday, February 20 at 8pm each night.

Established in 2024, Upstage Players is a drama group based in Claremorris, attracting members from across the region.

Even though relatively new to the circuit, the group’s actors and crew are well known in drama circles all over the West and beyond.

The group will begin their Amateur Drama Council of Ireland (ADCI) Festival Circuit run on Sunday, February 23, and are promising two brilliant performances in Dunmore ahead of this.

Set in a small bar in rural Ireland, The Weir sees three local men enjoying good beer and company in Brendan’s pub.

The lads are gathering for their daily pint, but their normal routine is shaken up when an attractive stranger arrives. As the night progresses, they share tales of ghostly happenings, but what starts as innocent braggadocio turns serious when the stranger reveals a real, haunted tale of her own.

Dunmore's Ollie Turner plays Finbar in The Weir, with Tim Oates from Claremorris as Jack. Aishling Costello, also hailing from Claremorris, takes on the role of Valerie, while Ollie Barrett (on loan from Mayo to Milltown) plays Jim, and Donegal native Jourdain Cunningham, who now lives in Balla, takes on the role of Brendan.

The Weir is directed by Alan Heneghan, who also took charge of stage design and construction. Vera Kilgallon is artistic coordinator and stage manager, with Billy Freeley on lighting, and Andrea Silke on sound. The show is produced by Mary Esler, with Una Monahan on props.

This week’s performances in Dunmore will be the final warm-up for Upstage Players, as the group sets out on its ADCI Festival Circuit run on Sunday, February 23 from Lislea, Co Down.

They will conclude their festival run in Claregalway on Thursday, March 20.