Blood Brothers to be staged by Garbally and Ard Scoil Mhuire

Academic and sporting excellence have long been associated with Garbally College, but for some an introduction to the world of drama can be the highlight of their time in secondary school. That tradition of hosting an annual dramatic production is a longstanding one and this year’s instalment is Willy Russell’s “Blood Brothers” which takes place in the college at the end of April. Rehearsals are well underway after auditions, held at the end of December, threw up the latest crop of budding young actors. 


The cast were selected from transition year students, as part of their T.Y. programme, and will also feature a number of budding actresses from the nearby Ardscoil Mhuire. Set in Britain, “Blood Brothers” tells the story of fraternal twins separated at birth, with one brother raised in a family of great privilege and the other raised in poverty. Although coming from different backgrounds, the two boys end up becoming unlikely best friends, until a misunderstanding leads to an inevitable tragic end. 

The two main characters in the play are brothers Eddie and Mickey, who are played in the production by Enda Donnellan and Nathan Donelan. Narrating the story are Mark Burnell, Maeve Madden and Donough Murphy, while Mrs. Johnstone is played by Aoife Dolan and Mrs. Lyons is played by Róisín Lyons. The main cast is completed by Daniel Potter as Mr. Lyons, Natascha Higgins as Linda and Kevin Hendricks as Sammy. 

Lead cast member Enda Donnellan is very enthusiastic about the production as preparations intensify towards opening night. “I’m enjoying the rehearsals immensely.” “It is a new experience for me and I’m really enjoying the challenge”. “I’ll look back on it with fond memories after T.Y.” Fellow lead member Nathan Donelan is excited by the prospect of trying something new and is also looking forward to curtains up. “I was excited to try something I haven’t done before”. “I enjoy getting to play a character that’s so different to myself - it’s been a huge learning curve for me.” 

The show promises to be an enjoyable night out for all involved. Under the guidance of director Breda Atkinson, the cast and crew have been rehearsing tirelessly to make the best show possible. So don’t miss out! Be sure to book your ticket when they go on sale in Garbally soon!

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