This year's All-Ireland Drama Festival has been cancelled for the first time in its 48-year history, due to the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The festival, which was due to be held in Athlone at the end of April, is organised by the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland. Its national secretary, Mr Colm Kelly, told The Irish Times that the cancellation was "for safety's sake".
People would have been travelling from all the 32 counties to the festival and it had been decided that cancellation "would be the proper thing to do," said Mr Kelly, who is also director of the Athlone festival.
The "confined festival", which is for amateur drama groups from rural areas, has also been cancelled. It was due to take place in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo.
The Amateur Drama Council is an all-Ireland body, co-ordinating the country's 35 affiliated festivals. However, festivals in Northern Ireland, which are affiliated to the council, are going ahead. These also have their own organisation, the Association of Ulster Drama Festivals, which is running a final in Belfast for festivals in the North.
After the confirmed outbreak in Co Armagh at the end of February, the council met to reschedule the festival - "provided there was not another outbreak in any part of the country", said Mr Kelly.
He said drama groups were very disappointed but generally "understand and agree", while some groups in cities had "not been happy" with the decision.
Mr Dara Carolan, project officer of the Drama League of Ireland, said drama performances are still taking place in non-rural areas.
He said theatre groups are advised to follow the Department's guidelines.