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The Briery Gap Cultural Centre, Macroom

Briery Gap Cultural Centre

  • Main Street,
  • Macroom,
  • County Cork

Booking

Box Office

  • Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm
  • Saturday 11am - 4pm

Briery Gap Gift Vouchers

Briery Gap Gift Vouchers available throughout the year.

Seating Plan

Choral and drama festivals report.

Back to Back Wins for St. Mary’s

The choir from St. Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom recently won the 2010 All Ireland Schools Choral competition, repeating their success of 2009. Five choirs from Meath, Waterford, Westmeath, Cork and Monaghan contested the final in the Briery Gap on February 26 and delighted the audience with their harmony and versatility. Each choir performed three pieces and offered great variety, including The Broken Road, Anything Goes, The Rocky Road to Dublin, Adoramus te, O Christe, Measuring Love, Moon River, Sail Away and Zoom Gally Gally. St. Mary’s, conducted by Eileen Kingston, were declared winners by adjudicator, Declan Townsend, who praised their absolute concentration and said they were a joy to hear. Runners up by a single mark were the boys of St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan, who brought another dimension to choral work with the delightful sound effects in Circle of Life.
Minister for Education, Mr. Batt O’Keeffe T.D. said that choral work is a most valuable educational tool, promoting team work, harmony, confidence and enjoyment. He praised the Briery Gap and particularly Manager, Anne Dunne, for her contribution to education and culture and her foresight in organising this most successful festival.

10th Drama Festival for Briery Gap

Adjudicators Michael Twomey, Michelle Beamish and Geoff Gould deserve special trophies for their stamina in completing a marathon judging session at the conclusion of the 10th annual All Ireland Transition Year Drama Festival in Macroom. The festival, the brainchild of Briery Gap Manager, Anne Dunne, has grown from humble beginnings to a grand total of 56 entries from 47 schools in all four provinces in 2010. By means of regional heats, this number was whittled down to 18 finalists, all of whom went on stage on Saturday, February 27.
The c. 25 minute dramatic offerings ranged from sketches written by the students to excerpts and adaptations of classic dramas. They covered themes such as drink driving, drug abuse, anorexia, family violence, death, famine, mental illness and the recession. Some of the well-known works presented (sometimes mis-represented!) were First Confession, Godspell, Macbeth, The Playboy of the Western World x 2, Blood Brothers and An Triail. Practically every production was staged to professional standards.
In the final turnup, Blackwater College’s Blood Brothers was declared winner of €1,000 first prize and the Mullingar Art Centre Perpetual Trophy and the Lismore group also won awards for Best Chorus Appearance and Best Producer/Director. St. Mary’s of Charleville were placed 2nd with their Workhouse drama. They also won the Best Costumes Award. Presentation Convent, Thurles, came 3rd with Godspell a special adjudicators award for that character who played “Jesus”. Mount St. Michael, Rosscarbery, won the Best Non Previous Winner Award and Best Supporting Role. The Dermot Bradfield Perpetual Trophy for Set, Stage, Design and Lighting went to Mercy College, Sligo, who also won the Best Original Script Trophy.
De la Salle, Macroom, were unchallenged and wildly popular winners of  Best Comedy, with their Milling Tin Synger Special on The Playboy of the Western World. The Best Performance Award went to St. Joseph’s, Doon. Coláiste Mhuire, Ennis, won a special award for the laundry set in An Triail, with which they also won the Best Irish Play trophy. CBS Kilkenny won a special award for Best Ensemble acting.
Many tributes were paid to the management, staff and volunteers at the Briery Gap whose hours of dedication have nurtured the National Drama Festival. Mayor Evelyn McSweeney said that the festival helps students not just to perform but to write, edit, stage, direct and appreciate drama and become educated and appreciative audiences. Aindrias Moynihan, Cork County V.E.C., said that education is not all about points, books and exams; it also encompasses expression, creativity and enjoyment.
Sponsors of the Drama and Choral Festivals were particularly thanked. These are headed by Cork County V.E.C., Macroom Town Council and Walsh Colour Print. 


The main awards for 2010 All Ireland Transition Year Drama Festival are as follows:

1st prize overall Blackwater Community College Lismore, Co Waterford “Blood Brothers”
2nd prize overall St Mary’s Secondary School Charleville, Co Cork “Voyage of the Orphans”
3rd prize overall Presentation College, Thurles, Co Tipperary “Godspell”
Best Previous Non Prize winner Mount St Michael, Rosscarbery, Co Cork “ Donalbain”
Best Irish Language play Colaiste Muire, Ennis, Co Clare “An Triail”
Best Comedy performance De La Salle, Macroom, Co Cork
Best Director the directing team Blackwater Community College, Lismore, Co Waterford “Blood Brothers”
Best ensemble acting award (100) CBS Kilkenny
Best Set The Laundry Set in “An Triail” Colaiste Muire, Ennis, Co Clare
Best Performance Eleanor O’Brien – Catherine in “Hard to Swallow, St Joseph’s Secondary School, Doon, Co Limerick A
Best Set and Lighting – Mercy College Sligo, “Heavenly Occurrences”
Best Original Script – Mercy College Sligo, “Heavenly Occurrences”
Best Costumes – St Mary’s Secondary School Charleville, Co Cork “Voyage of the Orphans”
Best Supporting Role – Maria Wilson – Pegeen in “Donalbain” Mount St Micheal Rosscarbery
Special Adjudicator Award – The Chorus of Blood Brothers - Blackwater Community College, Lismore, Co Waterford
Special Adjudicator Award – Character who play Jesus in “Godspell” in Presentation College Thurles, Co Tipperary

Runner Up Prizes awarded to
Presentation College, Miltown
St Joseph’s Doon, Co Limerick A
Nagle Rice Secondary, Doneraile
Scoil Airegeal, Ballyhale
Luarel Hill, Limerick
St Mary’s Secondary School, Arklow
St Joseph’s Secondary School B
CBS Kilkenny
Mercy College Sligo
King’s Hospital Palmerstown
Sacred Heart, Clonakility

The main awards for All Ireland Second Level Choral Festival 2010 are as follows:

1st Prize St Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co Cork
2nd Prize St McCartan’s College, Monaghan
3rd Prize Blackwater Community College, Lismore, Co Waterford

Runners up  Loreto Secondary School, Navan, Co Meath and Wilson’s Hospital School, Multifarnham, Co Westmeath

Best Song from Non Prizewinning Group – “Anything Goes from Loreto Secondary School, St Michael’s, Navan, Co Meath.

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