Kilmeen sweep the boards at All-Ireland Drama Festival

CHAMPAGNE celebrations were the order of the day for the cast and crew of a west Cork drama group who clinched the top prize at the 2011 All-Ireland Drama Festival.

The Kilmeen Drama Group from Rossmore won the event, held in Athlone over the weekend, for the second time in their history with their production of Tom Murphy’s A Whistle in the Dark as well as picking up awards for Best Actor — Declan Price, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role — Irene Kelleher.

No strangers to accolades, the group were nevertheless jubilant after fighting off stiff opposition from around the country.