A vibrant, volunteer-led border drama society — proudly building on over a century of theatre tradition in Belturbet — nurturing new and established creative talent while celebrating storytelling and community. Early Days of Drama in Belturbet
The tradition of dramatic stage production in the town of Belturbet near the Cavan/Fermanagh border stretches back to the 19th century, long before the
formation of the Irish Republic and the borderline 2 miles from the town. One of the earliest accounts records the 13th Dragoons Amateur Theatre, whose officers and soldiers converted a room in Belturbet Barracks into a theatre, staging lively comedies for the garrison and townspeople. These performances, complete with painted scenery and handcrafted decorations, became a source of amusement and social life for the community. By the 1890s, Belturbet town’s own amateur players were performing to enthusiastic local audiences. Plays such as The Colleen Bawn and The Shaughraun drew large crowds, and reports from the time describe the Town Hall decorated with evergreens and banners of welcome. In 1904, the ‘Belturbet Dramatic Club’ performed The Groves of Blarney to a packed house in the Town Hall, with an adjudicator noting that it was “splendidly staged and interpreted by the talented Belturbet amateurs in a manner rarely equalled even by a professional company.” That same year (1904), the group also gave a performance in Bawnboy Hall in aid of the new Parochial House in Kilnavart, Cavan. Regular visits from travelling theatre companies helped to sustain and enrich local interest in stage productions. Companies such as the Carrack Ford Players, The Imperial Scots, and the celebrated actor Andrew McMaster, who performed Othello in Hamilton’s Hall on Butler Street, ensured that Belturbet remained a lively centre for dramatic art. Many social events, including concerts and dances, were held in Hamilton’s Hall, which later became home to the local boxing club. This early flourishing of theatre laid the foundation for the enduring love of performance that continues in the town today. A Growing Tradition
Through the decades that followed, local groups and visiting companies alike kept the dramatic flame alive in the busy border town. All for Ireland was staged by the Belturbet Drama Troupe in 1919, keeping in step with political developments at the time. Derravona School was packed to capacity on Friday night, 2 January 1942, for Troubled Bachelors, the only play ever staged in that part of the country under the supervision of Rev. Gargan C.C., Milltown, with the cast trained by Mick Casey, postman of Holborn Hill. In 1943, Nothing in His Life was staged, followed by Louis Dalton’s The Money Doesn’t Matterand It Pays to Advertise. The Irish Shoe Supplies ( (Shoe factory in Belturbet) Dramatic Society presented many fine productions in the mid-1940s. In 1950, local teacher Kevin Albert Treacy wrote and directed a series of ambitious plays for young performers in the town, including Tone and the United Irishmen and The Red East - A Story of Communism in China, ensuring that the next generation carried the torch of drama in Belturbet. The local Golf Club presented The White-Headed Boy in 1957, and in 1965 Paddy Martin produced Wigs on the Green and Daughter from Over the Water. By the late 1970s, the border town of Belturbet was ready for a new chapter in its story of dramatic productions. Rebirth and Success Since 1978
Belturbet Dramatic Society, as it is known today, was formally re-established in 1978. That year, Brendan McCann and Noel McGovern reorganised the group and launched a new play written and directed by Brendan, Perry Como’s Leaving Town. It proved an instant success - the cast of fifteen performed it twelve times before going on to win the coveted All-Ireland One Act Drama Festival in 1978, starring Noel McGovern and Josie Henry in the central roles. This achievement marked the beginning of a remarkable new era for the society, which soon went from strength to strength with acclaimed productions of The Field, The Year of the Hiker, Sive, Sharon’s Grave, The Pl***oy of the Western World, The New Gossoon, The Country Boyand many more, which earned the group numerous individual acting and production awards on the circuit. Known for its energy and commitment, the group often produced several plays within a single year and, on occasion, had two competing simultaneously on the All-Ireland Drama Circuit. Brendan McCann’s original stage playwriting became a defining part of the group’s identity, with several of his plays celebrated locally and nationally. His second play to reach the All-Ireland Finals was The Lebanon Patrol, about Irish UN soldiers defending an outpost. In 1994, a production of his play Kernaghan’s Law by Cornmill Theatre, Carrigallen, starring Seamus O’Rourke, Gus Ward and Maura Farrelly, also reached the All-Ireland finals. The following year, Damien O’Brien directed the tough border drama Volkswagen Joe to similar All-Ireland success. Later, Brendan’s comedy The Tangler in Court ( also directed by Damien O’Brien) was performed in the Court Room in Belturbet Town Hall each day at lunchtime, during a week-long Festival of the Erne, when the courtroom was packed to capacity for all performances.The following year Damien O'brien directed the tough border drama "volkswagen Joe"To similar All ireland success. In 1998 Marlis McDwire produced "cartaganinians" by Frank McGuinness With the society, and it too reached The all ireland finals in Enniscorthy that year Including an acting nomination for Joe Henry. From Stage to Screen - Volkswagen Joe
In 2013, Volkswagen Joe was brought to the screen by Kevin McCann and Claire McGlade, with funding from the Peace & Reconciliation Fund. The half-hour film was shot on both sides of the Cavan–Fermanagh border by a professional film crew and starred Stuart Graham (Hunger) in the lead role, supported by Janet Moran, Matthew O’Brien (Fair City), and several actors from the society and wider border region. The film was broadcast twice on RTÉ Television and screened at over 30 major festivals around the world. It won over a dozen awards including Best Short Drama at the Celtic Media Awards, Best Short at the Roma Irish Film Festa and Boston Irish Film Festival, and Best Cinematography at the Galway Film Fleadh. It also made the Academy Awards long list and was officially selected for the Palm Springs ShortFest in California - one of the world’s leading film festivals. Over the decades, Belturbet Dramatic Society has won countless awards for acting, production, and stagecraft at festivals across Ireland, led by gifted producers and directors such as Des Gorby, Mairlis McDwyer, Claire McGlade and Damien O’Brien, and supported by dedicated backstage teams, committee members, and their families. Their productions have been recognised at the highest level of the All-Ireland Drama Circuit, maintaining the society’s reputation for powerful storytelling and artistic integrity. Our story is part of the story of the Irish border itself, as the society continued to bring its productions to communities both north and south during the Troubles - a true border troupe uniting audiences through storytelling and drama production. Many of these productions, particularly the original border plays of Brendan McCann, have brought the story of the border region, a place divided yet connected, to national audiences, giving voice to a community and landscape whose story has too often gone untold. Remembering Members Past -
We proudly honour the many cherished members who helped shape the history of our drama society, including Josie Henry, Benny Henry, Thomas Henry, Meena Fitzpatrick, Molly McArdle, Paddy Martin, J.C. Brady, Brendan Hughes, Robert F. Gorby, Michael Carlin, Seán Maguire, Brendan McCann, Seán Leddy and Noel McGovern. TODAY
Today, our society is a volunteer-led group that brings quality drama stage productions to local, regional and national audiences while nurturing new generations of performers, directors, and writers. With a theatrical heritage dating back to at least 1890, and formally established in 1978, Belturbet Dramatic Society continues to celebrate the life and creativity of the Cavan & Fermanagh border community through storytelling, performance, and creative innovation. NEW MEMBERS WELCOME:
We warmly welcome new members at all times - whether new to acting, interested in working behind the scenes, or keen to explore the technical side of stage production. Our doors are open to those who wish to get involved, learn, create and help continue our work in drama production and performance in Belturbet. Belturbet Dramatic Society welcomes new members and new audiences:
“People of all ages, from all communities, on both sides of the border.”
