Another success for Derry school children as they win Ulster Drama Festival

The children first performed Dr Who and the Victorians, which was written by their teacher Alicia O’Kane, at the North West Drama Festival in Omagh at the beginning of March. They won that competition, which put them through to the Ulster Festival on Wednesday, March 29, where the children won first for big primary schools and first for the play production in the ‘new play’ category.

Class teacher Alicia said: “We’re so happy and proud of this great achievement! Not only are we through to the Féile Naisiúnta Scoildrámaíochta (National Schools Drama Festival) in Mullingar at the end of April, but we’ve been awarded two firsts as well. There were only two schools from the north of Ireland who managed to secure a place in the national festival!

“The children are so excited today and I heard that the children’s chat was going crazy last night when they were planning out bus trip to Mullingar. We plan to stay overnight, be on stage at 3.10 on April 26 and return to Derry the next day. We’re going to organise a whole host of activities for them while we’re there.

"The children were so, so excited on the day of the competition on our trip to Letterkenny. The children say that they weren't as nervous as they were going to the North West Drama Festival in Omagh a few weeks ago. They say they were very excited, happy and so proud of themselves travelling to the Ulster Festival. We went to Arena 7 after being on the stage for a game of bowls and a bite to eat as part of the celebration. ”Everyone, from children to parents to teachers were all glued to the Facebook page Thall is Abhus at 6pm last night because that’s where the results were coming out live, and I’d say the screams were heard throughout the whole city when our schools name was read out!

"No one was in the form for schoolwork today. We spent the whole morning planning and discussing ways we could raise money to cover the costs of the trip. We decided that we will organise an Easter Raffle next week and we’re very busy this afternoon designing a poster for the raffle to send around the classes. We went to a playpark this morning too to enjoy the celebrations!”