First Announcements for Kilkenny Arts Festival 2025

We're very excited to share with you the firstannouncements of this year’s Festival Programme – three World Premieres,showcasing stunning new works as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival 2025.

What Are You Afraid Of? - Rough Magic and Director Lynne Parker returning once again to Kilkenny Arts Festival presenting a much anticipated new theatrical co-production which sees Peter Hanly returning to the stage

Custom Of The Coast - A haunting and intimate new opera in St Canice’s Cathedral by Kamala Sankaram described by the Washington Post as “one of the most exciting opera composers in the country” with libretto by Paul Muldoon

Neon Dusk - The Festival returns to Castle Yard with a new and unmissable acrobatic spectacle.

Speaking today, Director of Kilkenny Arts Festival Olga Barry said, “It’s a privilege to welcome audiences to Kilkenny in the late summer for an explosion of artistic adventures, and a particular thrill to announce three world premiere productions with key collaborators this year. KAF’s partnership with Rough Magic has led to numerous award-winning productions, notably Shakepeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Michael West’s adaptation of Mike McCormick’s Solar Bones starring Stanley Townsend. For our 7th collaboration it’s a thrill to see the return of the much-missed Peter Hanly on stage directed by the incomparable Lynne Parker for the premiere of What Are You Afraid Of?.
We’re excited to return to the iconic Castle Yard for a special international premiere of an acrobatic feast for the senses, in the creative hands of Jonah McGreevy - whose work has been seen in four previous Loosysmokes productions for KAF.
We’re delighted to present the world premiere of Custom of the Coast from composer Kamala Sankaram and poet Paul Muldoon for the opening night of the Festival in August”.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Rough Magic and Kilkenny Arts Festival come together once again to present What Are You Afraid Of? written by Peter Hanly.

You may remember the actor Peter Hanly from such projects as Braveheart or Ballykissangel as well as his many performances on stage. So… where did he disappear to? And why? During a dress rehearsal at the Gate Theatre in 2011, Peter suddenly experienced extreme stage fright. Within a year, Peter would give up acting.

Until now. In this world premiere from Rough Magic and Kilkenny Arts Festival, Peter ends up on stage one last time searching everywhere to find out what happened. And to ask the broader question of himself, and of you… what are you afraid of? Directed by Lynne Parker. Dates: 5 – 9 August & 11 – 12 August, Watergate Theatre.
Tickets: €30 / €33.

Neon Dusk

Kilkenny Arts Festival returns to the Castle Yard with Neon Dusk a surrealist, intricate and explosive acrobatic spectacle created through close collaboration between leading artists from Ireland - Jonah McGreevy (of Loosysmokes) and Portugal - Daniel Seabra and Mafalda Conclaves.

Blending and bending techniques and approaches from a myriad of disciplines including circus acrobatics, doubles dance and performance art, the work presents a powerful and highly original take on human bodies together. 
Dates: 7th – 10th & 13th – 17th August, Castle Yard
Tickets €15 / four for €50

Custom Of The Coast

The World premiere of a haunting and intimate opera, Custom of the Coast featuring an extraordinary musical score by Indian-American composer Kamala Sankaram and lyrics from Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. The tragic life story of Savita Halappanavar and that of the semi-mythical Cork-born pirate Anne Bonny are interwoven in a moving and elegiac triumph that fuses traditional Irish and Indian musical modes in a highly contemporary score.

Talented young soprano Anchal Dhir and dazzling mezzo-soprano Michelle O’Rourke sing the main roles with music performed by Crash Ensemble and renowned Kerry accordion player Danny O’Mahony. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Alan Gilsenan with musical direction by Kate Ellis.
Date: 8th August, St Canice’s Cathedral.
Tickets: €32 - €39