Festival of one-act wonders

The arts are flourishing in south Dublin as St Andrew's College, Booterstown, prepares to host its annual one-act drama festival.

Undeterred by the continuing ASTI industrial action, the students and teachers at St Andrews are going ahead with the festival, which is now in its 13th year.

Fourth, fifth and sixth year pupils from schools across Dublin and Northern Ireland will perform one-act plays of 30-40 minutes duration over the three nights of the festival.

The festival also hosts the awards for St Andrew's College's playwright competition. Over 50 students from schools across the country entered the competition for original one-act plays, which have never been previously performed.

These have been narrowed down to a shortlist of 12. Judges Joseph O'Connor and Anne Le Marquand Hartigan will announce the winners on the last night of the festival. The festival runs from February 12th to 15th, omitting February 13th, as this could yet be a strike day.