Theatre « Thurles Information

Dr. Ciarán Kissane Appointed Director Of Film Classification At Irish Film Classification Office.

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris TD, has today announced the appointment of Dr. Ciarán Kissane as the new Director of Film Classification in the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO).
Dr. Kissane’s appointment follows an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service.

**Cinema Submissions For Classification**.

Announcing the appointment Minister Harris said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Ciarán Kissane, who will bring a wealth of professional experience to this important role.
The important work undertaken by the IFCO ensures that the public, and parents in particular, have a modern and dependable system of classification to enable them to make informed viewing choices for themselves and importantly for those minors for whom they are responsible.”

Speaking about his new role, Dr. Kissane said: “I am delighted to be appointed as Director of Film Classification in the Irish Film Classification Office in its centenary year. I look forward to continuing the long standing and important work of the IFCO over the next 5 years”.

The Irish Film Classification Office was established in 1923 by the Censorship of Films Act 1923. The IFCO’s role was further expanded under the Video Recordings Act 1989. The IFCO is one of the oldest agencies in the State; however it has embraced change, transparency and modernisation in recent years and will continue to evolve with Irish society.

In 2022, the IFCO received 979 cinema submissions for classification (consisting of 438 films, 8 short films and 533 trailers) and 1532 video/DVD submissions, including 20 video games rated as 18, by the Pan-European Game Information system (PEGI).

‘Banshees Of Inisherin’ Star Kerry Condon Wins Best Supporting Actress.

The Banshees of Inisherin Star, Thurles native and natural beauty, Ms Kerry Condon this evening, as expected, won a Bafta award for ‘Best Supporting Actress’. (After an unaired gaffe, which saw the wrong winner of the award being announced).

**Thurles born and natural beauty, Ms Kerry Condon**.

In accepting the award, Ms Condon thanked Director Martin McDonagh for giving her the part, and for all the parts he gave her throughout her career. “You make me so proud to be an Irish woman”, she added.

Barry Keoghan, won best supporting actor, and dedicated his award to the kids from the area that he came from, “who are dreaming to be something”.

Mr Martin McDonagh won original screenplay for “The Banshees Of Inisherin”, making it three wins in total for this dark comedy film.
Receiving his award, Mr McDonagh, thanked Bafta; his fellow nominees; his production company and all those who performed in the film.

“Ms Condon, you make Thurles; County Tipperary and Ireland so proud”.

2023 Tipperary Drama Festival Returns To St. Michael’s Community Centre, Holycross, Thurles.

The Co. Tipperary 2023 Open Drama Festival; same an inclusive nine night annual event, will be held from March 17th to March 25th next in its now long established venue of St. Michael’s Community Centre, Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

The programme, each night, will run from 8:30pm nightly, except on the final night, when the programme will begin sharp at 8:00pm.

This year the festival committee are pleased to welcome, as Adjudicator, a member of ADA (Association of Drama Adjudicators), namely Mr Peter O’Driscoll.

No stranger to the County Tipperary Drama Festival; Mr O’Driscoll has been an Actor, Designer and Director with many companies including the ‘Strand Players’.
For twenty years he has been ‘Head of Drama’ in St. Patrick’s College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin; holding responsibility for equipping and maintaining the very fine theatre facilities available there, while also directing many of their performances.
He has contributed to the post-graduate ‘Theatre Studies Programme’, operating workshops on Authentic Voice Training; on Directing, and on Acting.
His main work was in preparing student teachers to use Drama as a method of education.

Engaged by the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) as an adjudicator; Mr O’Driscoll’s professional work as a lighting designer, has included work undertaken in the ‘Gate Theatre’, ‘Olympia Theatre’ and ‘Gaiety Theatre’.

He also has considerable experience as a musician, a choral director and as an organist; having directed a wide range of musicals in Dublin and throughout the country in the past. In the Dublin Arts Club, he played the lead in a new play about the Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher, Leoš Janáček (1854 – 1928).

County Tipperary Drama Festival Programme 2023.

Friday 17th: (Confined); Harvest Moon Players; “God of Carnage“ by Yasmina Reza.
Saturday 18th: (Open); Prosperous; “Oleanna” by David Mamet.
Sunday 19th: (Open); Holycross/Ballycahill; “A skull in Connemara” by Martin McDonagh.
Monday 20th: (Open); Brideview; “The Father” by Florian Zeller.
Tuesday 21st: (Confined); Cill Dara; “I Do Not Like Thee Dr Fell” by Bernard Farrell.
Wednesday 22nd: (Open); Hinterland; “The Playboy of The Western World” by J.M. Synge.
Thursday 23rd: (Open); Thurles; “The Seafarer” by Conor McPhearson.
Friday 24th: (Open); Kilmeen; “Blithe Spirit” by Noel Coward.
Saturday 25th: (Open); Lifford; “When Elephants Collide” by Edward Flanagan.

For further information: Phone: 086-257 5159 or Email: donal@dugganvet.ie or Fax: 0504-43147

“The Banshees Of Inisherin” Nominated For An Incredible Nine Academy Awards.

A massive congratulations must go to the three Thurles performers, namely Thurles actress Ms Kerry Condon and Thurles actors Mr Brendan Gleeson and Mr Pat Shortt, latter whom today contributed to the awarding of no less than 9 Academy Award nominations, for the film “The Banshees Of Inisherin”.

The nine nominations are as follows:-

Best Director: Martin McDonagh.
Best Movie: “The Banshees of Inisherin”.
Actor in a Leading Role: Colin Farrell.
Film Editing: Mikkel E. G. Nielsen.
Best Supporting Actors: Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan.
Best Supporting Actress: Kerry Condon.
Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh.
Original Score: Carter Burwell.

In all Ireland had a record day in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, picking up in total 14 nominations in advance of this year’s Oscars.

An Cailín Ciúin ( Irish – ‘The Quiet Girl’ ) has made history by becoming the first Irish-language film ever to be nominated as ‘Best International Film’.
Maynooth born, Irish actor Mr Paul Mescal has been nominated as best actor for his role in “Aftersun”.
Irish animator, Mr Richard Baneham has been nominated in the best-visual-effects race for Avatar: ‘The Way of Water’.
Dublin’s Mr Jonathan Redmond alongside Australian film editor Mr Matt Villa, has been nominated in the best-editing category for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’.
Hailing from England and Ireland respectively, co-writer/directors Mr Tom Berkeley and Mr Ross White’s Northern Irish film ‘An Irish Goodbye’; shot in rural Northern Ireland, has been nominated for ‘Best Live-Action Short’.

Ádh mór ar gach a bheidh san iomaíocht.

Death Of “The Irish R.M.” Star Peter Bowles.

Actor Peter Bowles in the role of
Major Sinclair Yeates, **in *“The Irish R.M.”* [1983–1985]**

Star of “The Irish R.M.”, and author Mr Peter Bowles has sadly died from cancer, yesterday March 16th, at the age of 85 years.
The actor whose career began with RADA at the Old Vic is survived by wife of some 60 years Sue, together with his three children Guy, Adam and Sasha.

The well-known and much loved charismatic actor of stage and screen will possibly be best remembered, playing the character of ‘Mr Richard DeVere’, starring opposite Penelope Keith as ‘Ms Margo Leadbetter’, in the smash-hit sitcom, “To The Manor Born”, which saw audiences of some 20 million viewers during its twenty-one episodes.

Starting his career at the Old Vic Theatre in 1956, he starred in 45 theatrical productions retiring at the age of 81 in “The Exorcist” at the Phoenix Theatre, having worked consistently on stage and screen, as the typical English gent, wearing a trademark moustache, in the British sitcoms including, “Only When I Laugh”, “The Bounder” and the TV drama “Lytton’s Diary”, which he devised himself.

From 1958 – 2021, Mr Bowles starred in some 42 films and well over 100 Television series, as well as receiving awards & honours including: – RADA Scholarship (1954); Madge Kendal Prize (1955); ITV Personality of the Year (1983); Male Comedy Star Award (1983); The Golden Gate Award (San Francisco International Film Festival, 1993) and an Hon. Doctor of Letters (Nottingham Trent University, 2002).

His book titles include the autobiography: “Ask Me if I’m Happy” and “Behind the Curtain: The Job of Acting”.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.