THE €1.6 million refurbishment of the Strand Theatre in Carrick-on-Suir in Co Tipperary is an example of what a community can achieve when it shows real initiative, the Minister for State at the Department of Finance, Martin Mansergh said last night.
Officially opening the new 360 -seat theatre on Main Street in the South Tipperary town, Mr Mansergh praised all involved in the refurbishment and extension of the facility which is now the home to the Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society.
Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society president, Pádraig Sheehan explained that the society decided in 2003 to buy the cinema-cum-theatre from the Butler family, and over the past five years, members have worked tirelessly to restore and expand it.
"Carrick is often a forgotten town but this is a great day for Carrick - if it wasn't for the musical society this job would never have got done, nobody was going to give us a theatre and if we hadn't got the theatre, the society would have folded," said Mr Sheehan.
"To date the society has expended €1.6 million on the project - we've received arts, Leader, county council and town council support of €430,000. We've raised another €800,000 ourselves through shows and we're working to pay off the remaining €400,000," he said.
Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society was founded in 1943 and veteran member, Dick Meany, who first got involved in 1950, said that this year's production of The Mikado with Swing was the 87th show staged by the group.
"We put on two shows a year - a musical and a pantomime at Halloween - we get great support for a pantomime and we've already had 100 children rehearsing for parts in this year's production, Robin Hood and Frankenstein."
Among those at last night's opening were the Mayor of South Tipperary, Cllr Tom Ambrose and the Mayor of Carrick-on-Suir Cllr Liam Walsh as well as Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Dr William Lee and Rector of Fiddown Union of Parishes Rev George Cliffe.
Also present were the president of the Association of Irish Musical Societies, Winston Johnston, the chairman of the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, Seán Dower and chairwoman of Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Alice Hennessy.
Also present was Alice's mother, Joan Butler, whose late husband Christy built the cinema in the 1970s. Following the official opening there was a performance of popular numbers by members of the musical society under the directorship of Lieut Fergal Carroll with his brother Niall Carroll from RTÉ Lyric FM acting as host.