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Capturing The Creativity of Young People
Upcoming & Recent Events
Revenge at Hotel Rapscallion
Summer Project 2026
by Mary O’Donoghue · directed by Liam Meagher
Seeking shelter from a terrible storm, a group of campers find themselves stranded and embroiled in a complex, suspicious stew as a gathering of wealthy elites attempt to solve the untimely murder of their gracious host. But all is not as it seems, as supernatural forces begin to rear their head and threaten foul vengeance upon the esteemed party of millionaires, celebrities and high ranking officials. Horrors await, and so too does revenge at Hotel Rapscallion!
Dates
10, 11 & 12 September, 8pm
Garter Lane Arts Centre
Tickets
€17 / €15 / €10
full / concession / early bird
Performed by our 15 – 19-year-old senior drama
Waterford Youth Arts is the home of the arts for young people in Waterford. Co-producing with Garter Lane Arts Centre, the youth theatre Summer Project has become a cornerstone of the Waterford Youth Arts annual calendar.
Meet the team
Mary O’Donoghue
Writer
A young playwright, actor and performance poet, and creative writing lead with Waterford Youth Arts. Previous commissions include The Fir Grove and Fowl Play at Garter Lane. Her performance as Mercutio in WYA’s Romeo and Juliet earned a Green Room Award nomination.
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Liam Meagher
Director
Working with young people in the arts in Waterford for more than 35 years, Liam directed the very first WYA summer project in 1996. He feels excited to be working with up-and-coming writer Mary O’Donoghue on her new play.
Sinéad Hourigan
Stage Manager
A theatre maker with a BA in Theatre and Drama Studies, and a WYA drama tutor for the past four years. She recently directed and designed The Animals, performed at Garter Lane and The Lyric, Belfast.
Open Day
At the Arch
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The youngest literary festival in Ireland's oldest city
The Lit Festival Waterford 9–11 October 2026 | Waterford City, Ireland
The Lit Festival is Europe's first festival of reading and writing organised by young people, for young people. Based in Waterford City, Ireland, The Lit empowers young leaders to take the reins — co-organising events, curating workshops, showcasing creative work, and connecting with world-class writers and artists.
From Q&As and meet-and-greets to performance showcases and networking sessions, The Lit offers something for every young creative. With 80+ young leaders nurtured, 100+ professional creatives platformed, and 5,000+ young people directly impacted, this festival is a landmark event in Ireland's cultural calendar.
Visit: www.thelit.org
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Waterford Youth Arts works with children and young people across a range of art forms; dance, youth theatre, drama, film, creative writing, visual art and street spectacle.
Activities are programmed as terms, 3 each year (Jan – April / April - June and Sept - Dec), which tend to run in 9-week cycles during late afternoons, evenings and at weekends.
If you know someone in this age range who would love to learn about the art world while making new friends and doing something new, this is a great opportunity for them. No experience is necessary to get started and we have an open-door policy so anyone can get involved.
Workshops at WYA
At WYA, safety is paramount, and while your young artists are involved in one of their workshops, you can be certain that they are learning in a safe and secure environment as all WYA staff and volunteers have been Garda Vetted and undergone child safety training.
Registrations fees range from €49 - €69 per term. Bookings can be made online through
waterfordyoutharts.eventbrite.ie or over the phone T. +353 51 879 377 (office hours) For more information, get in touch with us; see the workshops section on this website or get in touch with the team for any other information.
New term will start in September