placenamesLislea
Lios Liath
Amateur theatre gives Lislea in south Armagh connections across the island. Its drama festival, local performers and community centre sustain a cultural life that extends well beyond the stage.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Lios Liath · Irish · main form · validated name
- Lislea · English · main form
Place & story
A festival across the border
Lislea’s drama festival has welcomed groups from across Ireland since 1980. Giving evidence to an Oireachtas committee in November 2023, Amateur Drama Council of Ireland chairman Liam Hannaway recalled companies travelling from Wexford, Kerry and Cork to perform there during the Troubles. He described amateur drama as a source of social contact for rural residents as well as an artistic activity. Lislea’s community association advertised the festival’s forty-third edition in 2025, marking the continuing life of this exchange between local audiences and visiting companies. [2] [3]
Liam Hannaway’s local stage
Liam Hannaway’s involvement with Lislea theatre long predates his national arts roles. A biography published for Rush Drama Festival in 2025 records that he had acted with Lislea since the mid-1970s and joined its festival committee in 1989. He served as both secretary and chairman of the festival and directed four productions for Lislea Dramatic Players. These practical experiences in a village group accompanied his later work as chairman of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland. [4]
A hall for dancing and gathering
Lislea Community Centre on Mountain Road provides a base for activities beyond theatre. Its Hannaway Hall hosts Irish dancing, with both céilí and solo classes represented in the association’s programme. Other activities use the centre’s indoor and outdoor spaces, including a community shed, talks and social gatherings. The same place that brings audiences together for performances also supports the regular meetings and shared activities through which a rural community stays connected. [3] [5]
Geographic information
- Place type
- Population centre
- County
- Armagh
- Barony
- Orior Upper
- Civil parish
- Killevy
- Coordinates
- 54.23294, -6.58130 (approximate)
- Logainm ID
- 56895 ↗
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Lislea. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Development of local and community arts: committee evidence, 15 November 2023 · Houses of the Oireachtas; evidence of Liam Hannaway
- Lislea Community Association: festival and community activities · Lislea Community Association
- Rush Drama Festival 2025 programme: Liam Hannaway biography · Millbank Theatre, Rush Drama Festival
- Hannaway Hall, Lislea Community Centre · Lislea Community Association
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2021-12-20. How this page was prepared.