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TED & MARY O’REGAN 2025 ARTS BURSARY AWARDS

The 2025 Ted & Mary O’Regan Arts Bursaries were presented at a ceremony in Garter Lanethis week. Adjudicated by external assessor, Robert Browne, the 2025 Bursary Awards, were presented to visual artists, Stephen Walsh and Molly Hennessy, film maker, JohnBermingham, and theatre artist, Natasha Everitt. Stephen Walsh’s award will assist with thepurchase of art materials for a book and art exhibition featuring illustrations of original poetryinspired by the birds of Ireland. A recent graduate in Fine Art Painting at NCAD, Molly Hennessy’s award will facilitate a focused period of research and travel, leading to a multimedia exhibition of her work in Waterford and Dublin in 2026/27. Theatre Artist Natasha Everitt’s award will assist with the cost of participating in a month-longcontemporary dance, physical theatre and performance art course with Orian Theatre in Paris. Film maker, John Bermingham’s award will enable him to accept a place on the two year MSc Computer Animation Course at Dundalk IT. This year, an additional Musical Theatre Bursary, kindly sponsored by Waterford PantoSociety to mark its 40 th Anniversary, was presented to theatre maker, Emma Nathan. This award will assist with costs for a production of The Guy Who Didn’t like Musicals, to beproduced and directed by Emma in 2026.

The Ted & Mary O’Regan Arts Bursary is now in its 21st year and was founded by friendsand colleagues of the couple to honour their invaluable contribution to the artistic and culturallife of Waterford. Among the organisations who contribute to the Bursary are Waterford Cityand County Council, Garter Lane Arts Centre, Spraoi, Theatre Royal and Waterford YouthArts. At the award ceremony this week, Bursary Committee chairman, Bertie Rogers,thanked the sponsors for their continued support which, to date, has enabled the Committee todisburse more than €135,000 to some seventy-five Waterford based practitioners across arange of arts disciplines. Mr. Rogers extended his particular thanks to Waterford PantoSociety for their generous donation and congratulated them on their milestone anniversary.

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION EVENT 2024

The 2024 Ted & Mary O’Regan Arts Bursaries were presented in Garter Lane on Thursday 11th of July at a ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Awards.

Founded by a group of friends and colleagues in the aftermath of their untimely deaths, the Bursary was created to honour Ted and Mary O’Regan’s invaluable contribution to the artistic and cultural life of Waterford. Among the organisations who contribute to the bursary are Waterford City and County Council, Garter Lane Arts Centre, Spraoi, Theatre Royal and Waterford Youth Arts. With their support, the Bursary Committee has disbursed more than €130,000 to some seventy arts practitioners, a selection of whom presented a series of readings, performances, recitals and visual art at this week’s celebration.

Adjudicated by external assessor, Robert Browne, the 2024 Bursary Awards, each for €2000, were presented to dance artists, Holly Hughes and Rachel Ní Bhraonáin, and to emerging local playwright, Hannah Carberry. Hannah’s award will assist with the production of her new play, Grasp, due to open at the Gallery of Modern Art Gardens in the Spring of 2005. Holly’s will assist with college fees for a year long course at the prestigious Millennium Performing Arts School in London. The final award will assist with the production of Rachel Ní Bhraonáin’s two person dance, aerial and theatre show, Losing Your Body, at Garter Lane in September.