Mary O’Rourke performed the official opening of the drama festival on Friday March 13th at 8.20pm. Mary comes from a family steeped in Amateur Drama, her father Patrick Lenihan founded The All-Ireland drama festival in Athlone. He also wrote radio plays, he became a close friend of John B Keane when John B visited Athlone with the Listowel Players with their production of “Sive”. The Claremorris Festival organisers are delighted that Mary came to Claremorris to perform the opening in 2009.