About Us

Sonia Elston

Sonia Elston graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in English and a primary school teacher’s certificate.  She also has a background in drama, gaining a drama teacher’s certificate from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  She appeared in many shows at Nottingham Arts Theatre, but comedies were always her favourites.

On moving to Ireland in 2001 Sonia joined the Group Theatre and taught drama at various schools around Kerry.  She is a member of the Toastmasters, and a founding member of the Ragged Road Theatre Company in North Kerry.

Since retiring from teaching, Sonia has devoted her time to writing, particularly comic verse, and was placed in the prestigious Bard of Armagh before it ended in 2018.  For many years she ran the Tralee Humorous Verse Contest, only stopping when the dreaded Covid rampaged.

Rosemarie Bronder

Rosemarie’s earliest experience of acting was in the role of Maid Marian in the school production of the pantomime “Robin Hood” and the following year as Princess Jasmine in “Aladdin”.  Since then she has appeared locally in “Babes in the Wood”, some Christmas specials and more recently as Lady Windermere in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime” and Deirdre in “The Camel’s Back”.  Rosemarie is a founding member of The Ragged Road Theatre Company.

Padraig Regan

Padraig is an experienced actor having performed with  Schull Drama Group and Ragged Road Theatre Company.  He lives in North Kerry.

Antonia Pierse

I have a keen interest in Drama from a young age and attended Drama & Music classes in Ann MeKetarian and Shaw Purcell in my native Kill, Co. Kildare.

As a teenager, I attended the Betty Ann Norton Theatre School in Dublin.  I joined the Group Theatre when I first came to Tralee and acted in ‘The Camel’s Back’ and ‘Spraying of John O’Dory’.  I loved taking part in my work sports and social club variety shows.

I joined the Ragged Road Theatre Company in 2022 and played the role of Sybil in Oscar Wilde’s ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime’.

I look forward to acting in this years production of ‘The Camel’s Back’ where I will play the part of Kathy who falls in love with Liam Foley aka the local Centra proprietor!

My acting roles usually involve me falling in love, but I have also played the parts of a drunk nun, and Our Lady in the past!

I hope you enjoy the show and thank you for your support.

Ann Quane

Having seen an advertisement locally… Act Up Drama Group… requesting people with an interest in stage or screen to attend a meeting in a nearby venue. I was slightly reluctant and nervous not having any worthwhile experience. However I took the courage and got involved and took part in many plays and film.

That experience gave me an appetite for more so with a few like minded friends the Ragged Road Theatre was formed and staged a very successful play last year and looking forward to future success.

Linda Baker

Linda has performed with The Group Theatre and The Ragged Road Theatre. She now enjoys working backstage helping with set, costume and properties.

Phil Mullarkey

I arrived in Abbeydorney in the late seventies. Settling into rural life, raising a young family in the early eighties was transformed for me when I joined the local dramatic society . Dan Dillane R.I.P was a legend in North Kerry Drama at that particular time and he invited me along . First I thought to perhaps make the tea. But soon to thread the Boards. My first Role on stage being that of the “Yellow Peril”in the play “Da” by Hugh Leonard. The acting bug hit then and many’s the long winter’s night was spent reading and rehearsing plays in the Community Hall in O’Dorney.We concentrated on the local Playrights and staged quite a few of the John B Keane plays. I played the part of Peg in “Many Young Men of Twenty”. Maimey in “The Field”. The Feisty Katy in “Big Maggie”. Kate in “The Year of te Hiker. Late nineties early 2000 we performed the Play “Women on The Verge”By Marie Jones , I played Anna. Then went on to do Widows Paradise and many more . In 2012 I re-located to my native City of Cork where I was involved with the Pyke Theatre Group in Ballincollig. They now concentrate on one act Plays . They host a One Act Drama festival every year in October and I would have done various parts with them. Now at this point I am delighted to be involved with Ragged Road Theatre Group , having been invited to join them by an old friend and work colleague. I find the group to be most welcoming and look forward to a wonderful 2023 Production.

Maggie Cooley

Maggie Cooley started her love of the stage in Ballyheigue! Her first role was Lucia in “The Message of Fatima”. She was involved in Scor na nOg representing Ballyheigue in solo singing, recitation and set dancing.
In 1993 on her return from teaching in London, she joined the Altraighe Drama Group, based in the Oyster Tavern, The Spa.
She played Trassie in ” Sharon’s Grave”- Maire in “Translations”- Candy in “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. When not playing an acting role Maggie enjoyed stage managing several of the other plays that Altraighe performed.
She was involved in two of The Churchill Players’  pantomimes enjoying cameo performances as the Fairy Godmother in “Cinderella” and the Wicked Witch in “Snowwhite”. Her last role was with the Churchill Players in the play-” The Cripple of Inishmaan” as the drunken old Mammy!
Maggie joined the Ragged Road Theatre Group for their production of “The Camel’s Back ” and plays the part of Miss Kelly- the arty school teacher!

Tony Hennessy

Tony is an experienced actor and a member of Toastmasters and The Ragged Road Theatre.  He will play a suuporting role backstage and will also appear in ‘The Camel’s Back”.

Brendan Moriarty

My name is Brendan Moriarty and I was born and raised in Ballyheigue Co. Kerry. I have taken part in a few plays by John B Keane such as ‘Sive’, ‘The Field’ and ‘The Year of The Hiker’ with the Ballyheigue Community Players. I also took part in ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime’ with The Ragged Road Theatre Group and I am looking forward to playing the part of Liam in ‘The Camel’s Back’.