Dancing at Lughnasa
Dancing at Lughnasa
by Brian Friel
Presented by The Ballaghaderreen Players
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The Ballaghaderreen Players are thrilled to be making their first appearance at the Backstage Theatre Longford with a play widely considered the crown jewel of contemporary Irish theatre; Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa. Set in the fictional town of Ballybeg Co. Donegal in 1936 it is a memory play told from the point of view of the adult Michael Evans, the narrator. He recounts the summer in his aunts’ cottage when he was seven years old. This unforgettable summer brings the possibility of joy, dance and love to these extraordinary, ordinary women.
Brian Friel’s moving and timeless masterpiece about family, home, belonging and the sweeping tides of industrial change.
The Ballaghaderreen Players were reformed in 2023 with local theatre maker Julie Sharkey as director, to coincide with the inaugural Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival. They are committed to creating high quality productions of Ireland’s great plays, while making sure the process is every bit as enjoyable as the performance itself. To date they have performed and toured Big Maggie (2023), The Cripple of Inishmaan (2024), The Field (2025). This year it’s the turn of the beautiful Dancing at Lughnasa.
They are delighted to be performing for the first time at the Backstage in Longford and hope it will be first of many visits.
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Click for more info on our cancellation policy
Don’t worry if you or any of your party are unable to attend a performance. If you contact our Box Office team on 043 3347888 no later than 4pm two days before the show*, you can exchange your tickets for another performance or ask for a credit voucher (which does not expire).
*Must be two working days. Box Office hours: Mon-Fri (10am to 5pm)
Please note: No refunds/exchanges can be offered on the day of a performance or after a show has taken place.
If we need to cancel or postpone a show, our team will be in touch to let you know and offer you a refund or exchange.

Accessibility
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