Community Group of the Year Finalist: Tullyvin Musical Society hitting the high notes

Tullyvin stands alone as the only small rural village in Ireland to have a musical theatre society.

That achievement is just one way to judge their success; another is the quality of show they put on each October. Anyone who caught shows such as 9 to 5, The Addams Family and Little Shop of Horrors can testify to their quality. They bring in professionals - production team, musical director and choreographer to elevate the show into a truly impressive spectacle.

This has been recognised with three nominations for the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) award in 2015, 2020 and 2023.

But for PRO, Sinead Smith, judging it by such metrics is missing the point. The society is a focal point for the people of Tullyvin and beyond to knit a sense of community.

"The show is the end result of the year's hard work - along the way we enjoy the process of everybody getting involved and contributing, and us contributing back to the community as well.

"We're there for the rest of the year to encourage and bring people along."

As such, beyond planning meetings and rehearsals galore, the Tullyvin calendar is dotted with quiz nights, fundraisers for St Vincent de Paul and other charities, floats for Cootehill's St Patrick's Day Parade and Christmas Market, carol singing, outdoor music concerts in Dartrey Forest Park and free workshops open to all in the community.

"We do try to encourage participation and encourage people to get involved at their own level," said Sinead.

As the musical is Tullyvin's major showcase - this October they will stage Oklahoma! - the society invest in helping cast, crew and backstage contributors fulfil their potential, and stage a performance of which they can all be proud.

"As a priority we try to empower our younger members and give them opportunities they wouldn't normally find in a smaller town or villages."