It was a time when tractors were parked up and left where they were. Cattle dealers’ lorries had birds nesting and hatching their young out in their engines. It was the Spring during which Ireland was gripped with fear that the Foot and Mouth epidemic would reach our shores. It had already crippled the farming sector in England and Ireland was in lock-down mode.
While I was back in 2001 this afternoon I also found photographs of a Kerry Diocesan Youth Service Ceili/Disco at the Ivy Leaf Art Centre from April of that year.
However, I also found a piece about the young ladies at St. Joseph’s Presentation Girls’ Secondary School who had the whole community very proud of them as April of 2001 was about to turn to May. First of all for their stage performance of Oliver over the Thursday and Friday nights of April 26 and 27. Then, another squad went off and won the All-Ireland Cadets A Basketball finals in Dublin during the middle of that week.
The thespian and sporting culture of the school was put on display for a few minutes on the Friday night at St. John’s Hall during the staging of Oliver when the All-Ireland winning team was introduced to the packed theatre. The show was an outright success from a talent point of view and one not easily accomplished in the course of one of the most unsettling terms in school history with teachers and students on the streets at various times.
Spirited and confident performances from Áine Nelligan (Oliver) and Katie Mitchell (Dodger) allied to their vocal talents, drew loud and generous applause from an appreciative audience. Solo and duet pieces also revealed the singing voices of Sinéad O’Driscoll, Michelle Conway and Mary Horgan to mention a few. Announcer, Mary Ellen Scanlon did a very professional job on the night and she also captained the victorious basketball team. Well done to all involved in 2001.
