On Friday, 4th and Sunday, 6th April, Knocks Drama Group maintain an a remarkable tradition when they present their annual play in the Knocks Community Centre, at 8.30pm sharp.
This year's choice is John B. Keane's three-act comedy, 'Moll'. Set in a rural parish in the Ireland of the 60's, the action is based in a parochial house, home to a Canon (Fintan McElroy), two Curates (Cathal Dolan and Niall Green) and priest's housekeeper, Moll (Yvonne Crudden).
The first dilemma facing all three clergymen is appointing a new housekeeper, but they also have to contend with an array of weird but interesting characters.
This year's on-stage cast will be minus Martin McManus, a stalwart of annual productions until now.
He has taken on the demanding role of director and, according to joint producer, Anne McElroy, he has all the credentials for the part.
"He was always a star. He was amazing on the stage and, just recently, I've twice seen him in plays on RTE. For years, he and Fintan (the Canon) went down to Summer School, to every one of those courses".
With Anne, who got her amateur dramatics grounding in her native Kinawley, with a real live Canon, Liam Gaffney directing, helping out in the background, the Knocks gradually acquired a fast-disappearing cultural tradition.
"That's the way it looks to me", she said.
"The Knocks is one of the areas where it has survived where everything else seems to be disappearing".
But, she was quick to highlight the important contribution of Rose O'Neill who directed recent Knocks Drama Group productions to this year's presentation.
"She came down for one whole day, there were a couple of new faces and it was just terrific to see how they were inspired. I was very lucky to get her in the first place, through the arts director of the Sliabh Beagh group.
"We liked her straightaway, and we had absolute faith in her, and she liked us".
Anne reported rehearsals were going well and , 'everybody sounded very happy': "They're starting to get a lot of confidence, and getting into their characters.
"Hopefully, this annual event is something that will survive, because it's about the only thing that hasn't disappeared".
