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theatre · Saturday 5 September 2026 · 8pm 
Risteárd Cooper - Out Of His Head
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
Risteárd Cooper is best known to Irish audiences as one-third of Après Match, RTÉ’s long-running football parody that has been a Saturday night staple for over two decades. “Out Of His Head” is his debut solo tour - a proper showcase for the full range: sharp impressions, fast-moving sketches, and absurdist comedy that ranges across TV, journalism, politics and sport. If you have never seen him outside the Après Match format, this is the night to come. It suits anyone who likes their comedy well-crafted and a cut above the standard stand-up circuit.
The show is billed as “a dizzying mix of razor-sharp impressions, sketches and absurd imaginings.” Cooper opens with a set of questions he has no intention of answering directly - what’s happening, why, where did it all go wrong, who cares - and works through a run of characters and scenarios that draw no obvious conclusions but guarantee a lively night. Beyond the comedy, Cooper has real stage credentials: Henry Higgins in Pygmalion at the Abbey, Joxer in Juno and the Paycock at the National Theatre in London. The physical craft you get is a notch above the average comedy night.
Kilkenny city is about 120km south of Dublin, roughly 90 minutes by road via the M9 motorway. From Cork the drive is around 2 hours via the N25 and N24. Irish Rail runs regular services from Dublin Heuston to Kilkenny MacDonagh Station, with the journey taking about 80-90 minutes; from the station it is a 10-minute walk into the city centre. Bus Éireann also connects Kilkenny to Dublin, Waterford, and other regional towns. The Watergate Theatre is on Parliament Street, close to the medieval core of the city. Street parking is available nearby in the evening, and there is a multi-storey car park on Ormond Street a short walk away.
September is one of the better months to be in Kilkenny - the summer crowds thin out, the weather is still reasonable, and the city’s medieval lanes and castle are at their best. A pre-show meal or drink is easy to arrange; Parliament Street and the surrounding area have no shortage of good pubs and restaurants within a few minutes of the theatre. 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.