By Cronan Scanlon
FOUR of the main banks have been branded the 'big had wolves' of Ballybofey after they turned Scrooge on the local Christmas panto.
Last year Taoiseach Brian Cowen's unprecedented ¤400bn guarantee saved the country's six banks.
However, none of them could scrape together between ¤50 to ¤100 to help the local panto.
The Butt Drama Circle production of Little Red Riding Hood was overwhelmingly supported by the local community.
They turned out in their hundreds for the twelve sell-out shows and local businesses did not desert them either, despite the recession.
However, panto director Ms Kathleen McGowan, was critical of the local bank branches in her programme address for failing to cough up for an ad.
Ms McGowan pointed out that only one local business failed to take out an advertisement in this year's programme.
"It is fitting at this time to thank the business people who sponsor our pro gramme.
"Sorry we can not say the same of the banks who have declined to take out even a small advert in our programme" Ms McGowan said.
"The Ballybofey and Stranorlar Credit Union being the only exception. They have not deserted us in this dark time of recession".
More than 100 people were involved in the production at a huge cost to the voluntary Butt Drama Circle. Speaking after the show, Ms McGowan said she wrote to all of the four local banks in the town asking for their support. They were the AIB, Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and the National Irish Bank.
However, for the first time ever, none of them would take out an advertisement of any kind in the panto programme.
"I went to Bank of Ireland three times and finally the told me they would not be doing anything this year because of the recession. We have been good customers of the banks for years and they could at least have treated us with a bit of dignity," she said.
The Chairman of the Drama Circle, Mr Jim Holohan, also put the boot in to the bankers in his message in the programme.
"We congratulate Kathleen McGowan who has once again directed the annual pantomime - Little Red Riding Hood- bringing us brings us a timely reminder of all those big bad wolves out there. In her own message in this programme, she has made special mention to our esteemed bankers, but I'm sure there is no connection".
The irony was not lost either on Dame Hyacinth Pumperdink who was played by Ken Lillis.
"Little Red Riding Hood likes to call me NAMA because I'm too big, expensive and I will not work," Ms Pumperdink said.
The business in question was forced to shut last month because of falling numbers coming through their doors and the increase of cross-border shopping.
