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Ballyduff Drama Group presents

The Blackwater Lightship

Awards won:
  • Glenamaddy Drama Festival 2025
    Open
  • Kilmuckridge Drama Festival 2025
    Best Actress
    Best Set
    Best Supporting Actor
  • North Cork Drama Festival 2025
    Open
  • RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival 2025
    Best Actor in a Supporting Role
    Best Actress
    Best Director
    +2 more — see all awards and nominations
  • Rush Drama Festival 2025
    Best Director
    Open
    Technical Award
    +1 more — see all awards and nominations
  • Tipperary Drama Festival 2025
    Open
  • West Cork Drama Festival 2025
    Open
PlayEnglish · 2025

Direction: Ger Canning

Scenic design: Donie O’Sullivan and Joe Watkins

Costume design: Mary Clare Condon and Fiona Coughlan

Lighting design: Anthony Quinn and Billy Casey

Sound design: Tom Leddy

Description

About this production

Ballyduff Drama Group staged David Horan’s stage adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s The Blackwater Lightship in 2025. Set in 1990s Ireland, the play follows three generations of a family and two close friends as they come together to care for Declan, who is terminally ill with AIDS. Ger Canning directed the production.

Press

In the press

A wonderful lived-in house, inhabited by a totally believable set of characters.
— Paola Bassanese, RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival

Summary by Stageify

Festival report on Ballyduff Drama Group winning the 2025 RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival in Athlone with The Blackwater Lightship, directed by Ger Canning. Adjudicator Walker Ewart judged the production almost flawless, praising the convincing setting, believable characters and consistently strong acting; the group also took awards for director, actress, supporting actor and stage setting.

Credit: Paola Bassanese / RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival · Article preview

Read at RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival (opens in a new tab)
Recognition

Awards & nominations

  • Open
    Glenamaddy Drama Festival2025
    Won
  • Best Actress
    Kilmuckridge Drama Festival2025
    Mary Colbert
    Won
  • Best Set
    Kilmuckridge Drama Festival2025
    Won
  • Best Supporting Actor
    Kilmuckridge Drama Festival2025
    Ronan Bennett
    Won
  • Open
    North Cork Drama Festival2025
    Won
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role
    RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival2025
    Ronan Bennett
    Won
  • Best Actress
    RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival2025
    Mary Colbert
    Won
  • Best Director
    RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival2025
    Ger Canning
    Won
  • Best Stage Setting
    RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival2025
    Won
  • RTÉ Perpetual Trophy to the Overall Winner
    RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival2025
    Won
  • Best Director
    Rush Drama Festival2025
    Ger Canning
    Won
  • Open
    Rush Drama Festival2025
    Won
  • Technical Award
    Rush Drama Festival2025
    Anthony Quinn
    Won
  • Technical Award
    Rush Drama Festival2025
    Billy Casey
    Won
  • Open
    Tipperary Drama Festival2025
    Won
  • Open
    West Cork Drama Festival2025
    Won
Run

Show dates

Previously played
18
FEB
Tue
2025
Show
20
FEB
Thu
2025
Show
22
FEB
Sat
2025
Show
23
FEB
Sun
2025
Show
25
FEB
Tue
2025
Show
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Play

May 2024

Athlone · Ireland

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