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theatre · Monday 29 June 2026 · See website for times 
Performing Arts Camp
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
A week-long performing arts camp at the Watergate Theatre gives young people aged 8 to 13 a proper immersion in the stage arts during the first week of the summer holidays. This is not a drop-in taster - it is a structured, tutor-led programme where children spend five days working through dance, movement, music, drama and creative performance with five dedicated tutors. It suits kids who already love being on stage and those who have never tried it; the format is built for discovery as much as development.
Participants work through a range of disciplines each day, moving between drama exercises, dance and movement sessions, music and voice work, and broader creative exploration. The multi-tutor setup means children get specialist input in different areas rather than a single generalist running the whole week. Watergate Theatre has been central to the performing arts in Kilkenny since 1993, when then-President Mary Robinson officially opened the building - a former cinema (The Savoy, which ran from 1936 to 1985) repurposed into a 328-seat professional venue with a balcony. Running summer youth programmes from that kind of space gives the camp a real theatrical atmosphere that a school hall simply cannot replicate.
Kilkenny is well connected by road and rail. From Dublin, the M7 or M9 motorways bring you to Kilkenny in just over an hour; from Cork, the N8 and N25 route takes around two hours. Bus Eireann and Dublin Coach run regular services into Kilkenny town. The train from Dublin Heuston runs several times daily and takes roughly 80 minutes to Kilkenny MacDonagh station, which is a short walk or taxi ride from Parliament Street. Parking in Kilkenny city centre is mostly pay-and-display on the street and in nearby multistoreys; for a week-long drop-off, the car parks off John Street and Michael Street are convenient and tend to have availability in the morning.
Kilkenny city is compact and very walkable, with the castle, the medieval mile and the covered market all within easy reach of the Watergate on Parliament Street - easy to explore while the kids are in camp. 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.