This article is from page 16 of the 2008-10-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
DOONBEG is well known for its plays and drama festivals but no one could have predicted the drama that would unfold in the long village community centre last week.
The community centre which was developed and extended on the suc- cess of a long drama tradition hosted its greatest epic yet, as neighbour took on neighbour, the might of the dollar was accused of unwanted in- fluence and those “lads” from Dub- lin who came down with their fancy ways were told they wouldn’t change the lives of the great west of Ireland people.
The scene was set for “Doon- beg R.O.W (right of way)’- if only O’Casey had been around to write it.
It would have been the third play in the trilogy made up firstly of the story of the might of the microscopic snail, then the wall that would not fall and finally the right of way that led to the ultimate row.
The stage had been set by legal teams and council executives.
Legal papers and public notices had been written and re written, some changes in the scripts were even de- tected by the more observant as the drama unfolded.
The Irish flag and Clare flag at full mast on stage, maps attached to the
wall and green throws draped over tables echoed Irish civil war funer- i
At the top table sat legal assist- ant Marina Keane, County solicitor John Shaw and the Inspector Marcus O’Connor – the new but influential character introduced to most charac- ters at the beginning of the play.
Stage left was the Doonbeg legal team and management and stage right council officials.
Drama typical of old Irish plays was presented as the small land hold- ers of the west of Ireland taking on the mighty power of the dollar and the “Dublin Jackeen”’.
The audience of 22 paid attention
to the proceedings, which at times could have done with some serious editing.
As Cllr Tom Prendeville sat at a ta- ble draped in the dark green he spoke of constitutional rights and fighting and dying for freedom.
Mayor Madeleine ‘Taylor-Quinn represented a new Ireland – a woman with a legal background that was clear and concise giving evidence to a senior council slow to challenge her.
The father of all councillors, Cllr PJ Kelly added some light entertain- ment while making his serious and researched remarks.
Then Kelly went looking for his old
nemesis Leonard Long of the golf club development company Kiawah Development.
He brought proceedings to a climax just short of pantomime, but no one shouted, ““He’s behind you” when the colourful councillor asked where he was as he looked around the room.
Water administered for the sport of play was administered by theatrical stalwart Murt McInerney, who also took to the stage for a cameo as well as helping out behind the scenes.
The drama ended with more ques- tions than answers and yet another piece likely to play out in either the county council chambers or even the ehtum@oian