Gifted Margaret wins Kerry’s very own Oscar

Margaret O’Sullivan, front left, receives the bursary from Bríd Sugrue, Mayor of Killarney Cllr Brendan Cronin, and Kerry Arts Officer Kate Kennelly, with at back, Sharon O’Keeffe, Arts Office, Kerry County Council, Cllr Michael Gleeson, Mary Murphy, Aidan Reidy, Val Moynihan and Cllr John Joe Culloty.
Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan

SHE brilliantly portrayed the grieving mother in the smash hit musical drama, Patrick, in Rathmore and at the INEC last year and she is regarded as one of Kerry’s finest stage stars.

That ensured that Margaret O’Sullivan from Rathmore was a very popular and worthy recipient of the 2017 Eamon Kelly bursary which was announced at a presentation at Killarney Library last night.

Margaret, who intends to develop her practice by attending a number of specialised theatre training courses, in Dublin and Cork, said she was overwhelmed to have been chosen.

“I am really looking forward to attending the courses that this grant will fund. It’s all about bringing this knowledge back home to Kerry,” she said.

“It reaffirms my path as an actor and helps me to progress my career as well as, hopefully, being able to mentor and inspire others,” she added.

The Eamon Kelly bursary, funded by Kerry County Council, aims to support arts development in the Killarney Municipal District. The award has been in existence for over 10 years and continues to support arts development, encouraging high standards of practice in music, song, dance, film, drama and visual arts.

Margaret was brilliant in her role as the mother of Patrick O’Connor (Brian Hickey) in the musical drama based on the life of a Rathmore Republican

The bursary honours the memory of Eamon Kelly, the brilliant actor and seanchaí, whose native village of Gneeveguilla is included in the Killarney Municipal District. His sister, Bríd Sugrue, a retired teacher in Killarney, remarked: “It was entirely fitting that the award went to an actor and Eamon would have been delighted to see the arts supported in his name.”

Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Brendan Cronin, presented the award and also in attendance were Cllr Michael Gleeson and Killarney Arts Working Group members Aidan Reidy, Val Moynihan and Mary Murphy.

Chairman of the Killarney Arts Working Group, Cllr John Joe Culloty pledged: “We will continue to ensure the Eamon Kelly Bursary remains part of the core arts support with Kerry County Council”.

KillarneyToday.com: Nobody can beat our reach – or our rates. To advertise call 087-2229761 or email sales@killarneytoday.com