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theatre · Saturday 27 June 2026 · 8pm 
CMD Dance School
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
The CMD Dance School annual showcase is one of those evenings that means something real to a lot of people in Kilkenny - students who have been working all year toward this moment, families packing the stalls to watch, and anyone who just enjoys seeing young dancers perform on a proper stage. It takes place at the Watergate Theatre on Parliament Street, a venue that has been the city’s main house for live performance since 1993, and the setting alone gives a school showcase a level of occasion that smaller halls simply cannot match.
Students from CMD Dance School take to the Watergate stage for a full evening showcase of choreography across a range of styles. Year-end performances like this typically run from beginner groups through to the school’s senior and competition dancers, giving you a sense of the full range of what the school teaches. Expect a mix of styles - contemporary, jazz, lyrical and possibly hip hop - performed by dancers of different age groups. The Watergate holds 324 seats across the stalls and a balcony, which means there is not a bad view in the house. These shows fill up, particularly with families, so booking in advance is advisable. Tickets are €20.
Kilkenny city is well served from Dublin by Bus Eireann and by Transdev rail from Heuston Station - the journey by train takes about 80 minutes and Kilkenny MacDonagh Station is roughly a 15-minute walk from the Watergate Theatre. By road from Dublin, take the M9 south and follow signs for Kilkenny city - the journey is around 90 minutes. The theatre sits on Parliament Street close to the Medieval Mile, so parking at the nearby Kilkenny City Car Park on Johns Quay or on the north side of the river is practical for evening shows.
Kilkenny city rewards an evening out - Parliament Street itself has good restaurants and pubs within easy walking distance of the theatre, and the Medieval Mile from the castle to the cathedral is one of the finest stretches of heritage streetscape in Ireland. There is more to see in Kilkenny and across Co. Kilkenny.
Heading to Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny? Kilkenny has plenty more to see. Read the Kilkenny area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.