About The ADCI

The Amateur Drama Council of Ireland (ADCI) is a voluntary organisation which was founded in 1952. It is the federation of amateur drama festivals for the whole of Ireland. The ADCI currently has 37 Full-Length member festivals and 9 One-Act member festivals.

Full-Length Festival Circuit

The organisation coordinates the Full-Length Drama Festival Circuit along with two All-Ireland Finals annually. The Full-Length Festival Circuit commences in February each year and finishes by the first Sunday in April. Drama Festivals are held across the island of Ireland under the auspices of the ADCI. Drama groups are divided into two sections within the circuit, ‘Open’ and ‘Confined’. Performances are adjudicated upon by a Council approved adjudicator. Marks are awarded in accordance with the ADCI marking system. Results are collated from these festivals to select the top nine groups in each of the two sections who will participate in the All-Ireland Finals. The Open finals, the RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival, takes place in Athlone annually in May, while the All-Ireland Confined Drama Finals take place in a different province each year usually in April

One-Act Festival Circuit

The ADCI also works with the Drama League of Ireland (DLI) to co-ordinate the One-Act Festival Circuit which takes place in October and November annually while the All-Ireland Finals take place over the first weekend in December in a different province each year.