Adjudicator – Imelda McDonagh

Imelda McDonagh is a multi-award-winning director and actress with a first-class honours M.A. in Theatre Studies. She is a qualified Make-Up Artist (updated London 2022) and holds a Licentiate in Speech and Drama from the London College of Music.

Since she took early retirement from her career as a secondary teacher of English and Drama in 2012, she has enjoyed the freedom to travel throughout Ireland to adjudicate in every province. Currently President of the Association of Drama Adjudicators, Imelda has enjoyed adjudicating since 2001 and has adjudicated all the All-Ireland Finals in Ireland, in addition to the Macra na Feirme and UK One Act Finals.

A lifetime of performance has led to the creation of some of her favourite roles, including Lady Bracknell in Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest, Blanche in William’s A Streetcar named Desire, Stephanie in Kempinski’s Duet for One, Gertrude in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Kate in Miller’s All My Sons, as well as the monologue plays: Baglady by Frank McGuinness, Jennifer Johnston’s Christine and Dermot Bolger’s The Holy Ground.

Also at home in the world of musical theatre, Imelda has won the coveted Association of Irish Musical Societies’ award (AIMS) for Best Director with her production of Kiss Me Kate and was nominated as Best Director for the amateur premiere of The Ha’penny Bridge and Michael Collins, a Musical Drama, winning the AIMS overall award for Best Show from a field of over fifty productions. She is currently in rehearsal for her 23rd musical: Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat for Enniscorthy Musical Society.

Imelda has also been awarded The Civic Merit Award for her services to the community by President Michael D. Higgins.

A drama festival is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the rich tapestry of talent and skill which the participating groups will bring with them and Imelda would like to wish each group the very best of broken legs as they take to the stage in Kilmuckridge 2025.