Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair (pron. ˈoːɾkˠlˠɔn̪ˠ ɣɨ ˈd̪ˠoːj), anglicized as Gweedore Theatre, is a local theatre in the Gaeltacht

Gaeltacht

is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...

 region of Derrybeg in the parish of Gweedore

Gweedore

Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...

, County Donegal

County Donegal

County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. It seats over 200 hundred patrons, and ever since it was opened by actress Siobhán McKenna

Siobhán McKenna

Siobhán McKenna was an Irish stage and screen actress.-Background:Born Siobhán Giollamhuire Nic Cionnaith in Belfast, Northern Ireland into a Catholic and nationalist family, she grew up in Galway City and in County Monaghan, Ireland speaking fluent Irish...

, it has staged hundreds of plays in the Irish language

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

.

Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair was a group of actors founded in Srath na Corcra, Derrybeg in 1932, and they gained critical acclaim and travelled as far as Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

 to perform. The key people involved in the group were Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhríghde, Áine Nic Giolla Bhríghde, Johnnie Sheáin Ó Gallchóir, Proinsias Ó Maonaigh

Proinsias Ó Maonaigh

Proinsias Ó Maonaigh or Francie Mooney was a fiddler from Gweedore , County Donegal, Ireland. He is known for his distinguished fiddle playing and his unique and vast contribution to Irish music and culture....

, Máire Bn. Uí Bhraonáin, Tomás Mac Giolla Bhríghde, Seán Ó Casaide, Néilí Ó Maolagáin, Niall Ó Dufaigh, and Proinsias Ó Duibhir.

Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair's Pantomimes

Several well-known local entertainers took to the limelight in productions of Geamaireachtaí Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair. Eithne Ní Bhraonáin from Dore - now globally known as Enya

Enya

Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...

. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan.-Biography:Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore , County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland....

 - now of Altan fame. Máire Ní Bhraonáin - now known as Moya Brennan

Moya Brennan

Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin , also known as Máire Brennan , is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist who began performing professionally in 1970, when her family formed the band Clannad, and is now widely considered as the "First Lady of Celtic Music"...

. Three of the Uí Chasaide clan Na Casaidigh

Na Casaidigh

Na Casaidigh or The Cassidys in English are an Irish traditional group. They have been based in Dublin for many years, but they originally hail from Gweedore, County Donegal. The group consists of brothers Aongus, Seathrún, Ciarán, Fionntán, Feargus, and Odhrán...

. And the two Brennan brothers Pól and Ciarán of internationally renowned group Clannad. They all took part in the pantos before taking to the world-stage. The pantomime

Pantomime

Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...

s have included the below productions:

• 1962 - Turloch Óg na dTuath
• 1963 - Ball Dearg
• 1964 - An tSleagh Ghlas
• 1965 - Fionnán in Arabia
• 1967 - An Gobán Saor
• 1968 - An Glas Gaibhlinn
• 1970 - Mac Rí Uladh
• 1973 - Iníon Rí Ailigh

Now

The theatre is not currently used as often as it once was - possibly owing to a rule which precludes plays with English dialogue, and thereby limiting the production options. There is an average of two to three productions in the Amharclann each year, plus drama competitions which are entered by local schools.

The management board of the theatre have applied for a grant from the government to restore and renovate it.