Picture credits Paola Bassanese A family friendly pop-up market in Connaught Gardens starting at noon on Sunday May 4th till 4pm. Face painting (no real paint), Puppets, Food, Bric a Brac.

Tuesday May 6th May, 11 am St Jarlath’s Credit Union Schools Playwright Competition Dean Crowe Theatre Transition year students from all around Ireland, have written original one act plays on the theme of ‘Care’. Presentation of prizes, followed by the ‘world premiere’ performance of the winning play. Produced and directed by Alfie Kilduff. Free Event

Wednesday 7 th May, 6.45 pm Presentation of awards for Shop Window Display Launch and reception of Art exhibition ‘The West; in Light and Shade’ Landscape artists Yvonne McDonald and John Higgins display their work of the wild wonderful west. AIB Gallery, Dean Crowe Theatre Free Event

Wednesday 7 th May, 8 pm Winners from the All Ireland Confined Final 2025 ‘To Be Confirmed’ Dean Crowe Theatre Performance of the winning play, which will be known after finals for 2025. Admission Tickets from Dean Crowe

Thursday 8 th May, 7 pm Defence Forces Band of the Eastern Brigade, by kind permission of GOC Eastern Brigade Forecourt Dean Crowe Theatre Open air musical entertainment to start the 2025 RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival Free Event

Friday 9 th May, 6.30 pm Sheraton Hotel Foyer Athlone A Cappella return with their unique choral recitals. Popular vocal musical entertainment. Free Event.

Saturday 10 th May, 3pm Afternoon T Series: ‘Dying Minutes’. Athlone Little Theatre Bailieborough Drama Group present their 2025 confined All-Ireland winning one act play. Set in a pub, this one act answers the question: why would anyone be in a pub on a Monday Morning? We glimpse into a world at which we laugh, empathise and even recognise. Admission €10 Tea afterwards in Green Room. https://www.eventbrite.com

Sunday 11 th May, 1pm Open Air street drama. Connaught Street and Environs drama group present a historical re-enactment Written by historian Gearoid O’Brien McNeils corner, Connaught Street

Sunday 11th May, 3 pm AFTERNOON T SERIES: DOUBLE HEADER 'LAST LISTS OF MY MAD MOTHER' AND 'BABY STEPS' Athlone Little Theatre Athlone Little Theatre presents 'Last Lists of My Mad Mother', directed by Joe Brady. Written by Julie Jensen. Clann Machua from Kiltimagh tell the story of Ash and Chris, as they move away from small town Galway to Oxford, via flatpack furniture building. Directed by Moira Mahony. Short interval between, Plays finish by 4.45pm approx. Tickets €10 Tea afterwards in Green Room

Monday 12 th May, 3pm Walking Tour . Meet at Civic Centre, a guided tour with historian Gearoid O’Brien. Dress appropriately. Walk duration approximately one hour. Free Event.

Tuesday 13th May 4.30 pm Schools Art Competition Aidan Heavey Library The announcement of the winners and display of entries. The brief is to design a book cover.

Tuesday 13 th May, 4.45pm ‘Poetry recital’ . wtih Amy Barry. Aidan Heavey Library Free Event

Wednesday 14 th May, 11 am ‘Drama Wellness Workshop’, . Paul Tiomey an experienced Drama lecturer will operate a workshop showing how we can use drama to create wellness in our everyday life. Limited to 15 participants Aidan Heavey Library Admission €10 https://www.eventbrite.com

Thursday 15 th May, 11.00 am Historic Walking Tour of Athlone Start Point: Dean Crowe Theatre ‘In the footsteps of John Count McCormack’. A walking trail with Historian Gearoid O’Brien. Dress appropriately approximately one hour duration. Free Event

Thursday 15 th May, 3.00pm Launch of TUS Archive and Special Collections TUS Library, Athlone Campus Dr. Lisa Griffith, Director of the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) will launch the new library service which builds on the Brendan O’Brien collection and will catalogue material such as correspondence, posters, programmes etc. of the drama movement in Ireland. Free Event

Thursday 15 th May, 7.15 pm Athlone Pipe Band Count John McCormick Square Join in and march behind the band, as we leave the civic square to go over the bridge to the Dean Crowe theatre. Enjoy a feast of lively pipe music. Sunshine optional. Free event.

Friday 16 th May, 7 pm Music by Bernard and Patrice Coyle Dean Crowe forecourt Free

Saturday 17th May, 3 pm Afternoon T Series: ‘Cider Park’ Athlone Little Theatre Letterkenny Music and Drama group present their All Ireland winning one act play. JP and Georgie are enjoying their cans in Cider Park... Philosophising on originality they ponder the question are we photocopies of what came before? Then they are joined by the older Richie and discover what it may mean to be human. Directed by Michael Leddy. Tickets €10 Tea afterwards in Green Room

Saturday 17 th May, 6.30 pm THE PARTY NIGHT OF THE YEAR. Gala Awards Ceremony, Live Streamed by RTĖ at 9pm. We finally discover who are the 2025 winners of the Irish Drama scene. Athlone Radisson Hotel Ticket holders only. FULLY BOOKED.