THERE is a venue dedicated to the performance arts in the heart of the town, Glórach Theatre and its interesting spin is that it is run entirely by volunteers.
Its long serving PRO Lorcan Curtin, is also a career farmer and horticulturalist, as well as teaching horticulture for Adult Education classes under the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) at the former vocational school.
Busy as he is, he finds time for some creative writing on the side.
His play ‘Camden Sky’ was staged in Abbeyfeale, led by two or three principals and an ensemble of auxiliary parts. “I had a fascination with Irish emigrants who went to England”; London made a great impression on him.
Lorcan’s involvement with Glórach Theatre began 13 years back when he had apart in a play
“Glórach is run by a board of directors and you have the general positions, chair (Seán Nelligan), treasurer, secretary. We hold weekly bingo here and you’d never think it but I am the number checker there and I really enjoy it.”.
“There’s a good amount of money given out, but we always stress the health benefit of the game to people. The mental health benefit. That’s what we tell them.”
Attendance is “pushing north of up to 130″ in the night and last week alone, a top jackpot sheet of rollovers totalled €500 in prize money for the lucky varmint who called ‘check!’
“Concerts are one of our main things and on Friday July 5, we had soprano Regina Nathan and guest soprano Susan Browne from Browne with Michael Pugh on piano.”
Lorcan credits two new volunteers on the board, Tom Madigan and Linda Hennessey organised the last two concerts for teh community. In June, Hearts of Men, “a loose amalgamation” welcomed 18 year-old Rosie Connolly on guitar. She’s a singer songwriter who took time out for Leaving Cert to entertain the folks.
“We keep going, largely through events. We do apply for a degree of infrastructural grants and because of a small grant from Limerick Arts Office, we held a memorial to Liam Flynn, a local woodturner.”
