Marie de la Gueronniere, a theatre practitioner from Dublin, has been travelling to Kerry every week since last September to facilitate drama classes with secondary schools in the Killarney Municipal District.
She has worked with students in Rathmore Community College, Castleisland Community College, St Patrick’s and Presentation Secondary Schools in Castleisland as well as St Brigid’s and St Brendan’s in Killarney.
This programme has been funded by Kerry County Council and aims to provide young people with the skills to allow them to create their own drama based on issues that they are engaged with.
‘The programme is quite challenging but very rich’, says Marie. ‘I adapt my approach to each group as each is very different from one another. It’s very enriching and makes me rethink the way I engage with young people depending on the group and context.’
Cllr. John Joe Culloty, designated Chairman of the Killarney Municipal District Arts Working Group stated, ‘this is an important arts program, identified by the Killarney Municipal District Arts Working Group as an area that needs support.’ He continued, ‘Our members represent the wider Killarney Municipal District area and agreed unanimously that supporting activity where young people have an opportunity to get involved in the performing arts is extremely important, and ties in with Kerry County Council’s Arts Strategy 2016-2021’.
Drama was agreed as an important way forward in the area to support the next generation of practitioners to link with the existing drama network and maybe develop new drama activity in the area. Arts Officer Kate Kennelly stated that she would like to thank all the working group members who have attended meetings for their time and expertise towards ensuring we are working to develop the arts sector in the area in a way that responds to real need.
