Would you enjoy taking on a superior role, or even sink down to an oppressed, timid person? Maybe you would like to scream at the top of your voice or act the fool on the spur of the moment. Well, if so, the "Drama Group" in Ringsend Community Centre is the place for you.

The group formed twelve months ago and is facilitated by "Smashing Times Theatre Company," providing the cast with their much talented Director/ Coach Paul Kennedy.

Last April the drama group staged a showpiece in the Ringsend Community Centre. It was their first production and their superb performance brought in a full house on both nights. The cast acted out scenes from Willie Russell's "Stags and Hens" and pieces from "The Factory Girls" by Frank McGuinness.

"The Woman who Walked into Walls," written by Roddy Doyle, was featured in the evening's performance in the form of a monologue, excellently portrayed by Elaine McDonald.

All the cast received certificates for completing the twenty-week workshop sponsored by the ESB.
Then, in June, they attended a "Smashing Times" Seminar in the Bank of Ireland Arts Centre in Foster Place, where they met up with seven other drama groups from Dublin and Northern Ireland. Each group performed their short plays on stage which, they told me, is a far cry from the Community Centre, with wonderful facilities.

The group have been invited to visit the North by the Derry Drama Group. Paul and the cast hope to take up their offer in the near future.

Brenda Donoghue from the Gerry Ryan Show has featured the Drama Group twice this year, once to air their production of "The Factory Girls" and a second time for favourite poetry readings with the help of Ida Rooney and Elaine McDonald.

From the Drama Group came the Women's Group, where they started up educational courses for women in the area. They had Aromatherapy classes, Stress Management, Women's Health and Computer Courses in the Regal House, Ringsend.

The ladies in the group say it boosts their confidence to the top. To be in the company of such talented people is a great honour.

Memo 1: Avoid the use of the word "Girls." It sounds patronising.
Memo 2: The word "fantastic." means "like a fantasy" i.e. an untruth.
Memo 3: Common nouns such as "Group" take the singular tense of the verb if the "Group" is in undivided agreement between themselves. Back Row (l-r) Betty, Teresa McCormack, Breda Murphy, Pat, Bernie Black, Linda Pearse.

Front row (l-r) Maureen Blake, Julie Hegarty, Michelle Edwards and Elaine