With the arrival of the new millennium St. Brigid’s Drama Group was in the wake of it’s 50th, Anniversary celebration. That event was given a very successful recognition with a most enjoyable
get together of members, past and present, at an informal dinner dance night in the Boyne Valley
Hotel in May of 1999.

Undoubtedly what made this night particularly memorable was that it afforded the opportunity to give special recognition to a number of the original founding members of St. Brigid’s who were able to
attend, namely Nancy Allen, John Dalton, Alice Conry, Evelyn Flavin, Stephen Daly and local historian, Jim Garry.

In preparation for this occasion a concerted effort was made by the Group members to gather a body
of memorabilia – posters, programmes, photos, newspaper cuttings, videos – which would give testimony to the activities of St. Brigid’s throughout the previous five decades.

All of this endeavour has left St. Brigid’s Drama Group in this first decade of the new millennium with
a heightened appreciation of its own existence. It is not now just a drama group that has entertained
audiences in Drogheda through six decades. It is now almost an institution in the realm of Drogheda
dramatics.

The contribution that the group has made to the cultural life of the town has achieved a certain historical status which almost demands that it forges ahead to its centenary celebration! With the prospect of such an historic anniversary in mind the evidence of this first decade of the new millennium does provide strong grounds for optimism. The variety and high standard of productions has ensured that the audience for St. Brigid’s presentations has been as numerous as at any previous time.

“Da” (Hugh Leonard) 2000, “The Factory Girls” (Frank Mc Guinness) 2001, The Field” (J.B.Keane) eina Cla- 2005, and “The Playboy of theWestern World” (J.M.Synge) 2007 were all plays which were bound to attract audiences more readily in that they are recognised as the works of well regarded Irish play-
wrights. Nevertheless, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and when the audiences of these productions had dined on the theatrical fare, that had been served up in the Droichead Arts Centre, their appetite for a good night’s drama had been more than satisfied.

“Gaeilgeoiri” (Antaine O Flatharta) 2002,” The Skin of Our Teeth”(Thornton Wilder) 2004 and “That Scoundrel Scapin” (Moliere- Translated by John Wood) are less well-known works but audience numbers held up very well here also and the very accomplished productions proved their worth.

One of the more remarkable features of St. Brigid’s Drama productions must surely be the number of different Producer/Directors it manages to bring to the fore. From 2000 to 2009 this trait is well and truly exemplified as there have been eight different incumbents for the eight plays performed!

Another encouraging sign for the future of St. Brigid’s must also be the number of talented new members that are attracted to the group from year to year. The desire to tread the boards and take and active role in live drama appears to be as compelling now as it was in that era of the late 1940s six decades ago! Long may it be so.

John Clayton