PRESS RELEASE, 9/06

Local playwright, Pat Daly, is the recipient of the 2006, Ted & Mary O’ Regan Arts Bursary. Mr. Daly was presented with the bursary on Friday last at a reception which took place at the Waterford City Enterprise Centre.

The bursary, valued at 5,000 EU is the brainchild of a group of friends and colleagues of the late Ted and Mary O’Regan and was created to honour the couple’s invaluable contribution to the artistic and cultural life of Waterford. Launched earlier this year, the bursary is financed by local arts organisations and statutory bodies as well as by the O’ Regan family and by friends and admirers of the much loved couple. Among the organisations who have contributed to the bursary are Waterford Youth Committee, Waterford City Council, Waterford County Council, Waterford City Enterprise Board, Red Kettle, Garter Lane Arts Centre, Spraoi, WDS and Waterford Youth Arts. The Bursary, designed to assist local artists to pursue and advance their career in the arts, is administered by a group of trustees from the local arts community and is distinguished by the patronage of Waterford playwright, James Cheasty and actress, Anna Manahan.

This year’s winner, Pat Daly, is an emerging playwright whose work to date has been warmly received by local audiences. His first play, The Pilferers, was presented as one of three new one act plays by Red Kettle Theatre Company, in 1999. Since then, Pat has developed an exciting partnership with the Bowler Hat Theatre Company which, in recent years, has produced three further one acts plays, Urbs Intacta Manet, GTI, and John Roberts Square. Daly’s latest play, The Outsiders, was commissioned by Waterford Youth Arts and will be presented at Mount Sion Hall, Barrack St. from Sept 23rd to 25th.

The Award was presented by Ted and Mary’s eldest son, Philip, who said that having been present for the launch of the Bursary two years ago, he was delighted to see that it was now up and running and he commended the local statutory bodies and arts organisations for their support for the Bursary. Congratulating Pat Daly on his success, Mr.O’Regan said he felt sure that Ted & Mary would delight in the opportunity it presented for the writer to take the next step in what he hoped would be a long and fruitful career.

In addition to the main award, which will enable Pat Daly to take leave of absence from his employment to write his first full length play, the imaginative sponsorship of the Waterford City Enterprise Board and the Waterford City Enterprise Centre, have enabled the Committee to make two subsidiary awards of 1.500 EU each. Margaret Bond, Chairperson of the Waterford City Enterprise Centre presented a cheque to visual artist, Brendan Butler, with composer, David Duffy, receiving his award from Bill Rafter, CEO, Waterford City Enterprise Board.

Chairman of the Bursary working committee, Mr. Bertie Rogers thanked the various groups and statutory bodies for their support for the Award and expressed the thanks of his committee to both the Enterprise Board and Centre for their additional sponsorship. Mr. Rogers was also grateful for the support and assistance of Ms Theresa Kennedy at the Human Resources Dept of Honeywell, where Pat Daly is employed. “These awards will be of real practical support to the artists who received them”, Mr. Rogers stated. “But of equal importance must be the injection of confidence they will give to individuals, who have the courage to pursue their artistic vision”.