BY JOHN FITZGERALD
Kilkenny’s drama lovers celebrated in 1993 when President Mary Robinson, amid a fanfare of publicity and razzmatazz, formally opened the Watergate Theatre in Irishtown.
The old Savoy Cinema building had been tastefully converted into a state of the art performance venue for top notch dramatic and music events; staged by amateurs and professionals alike.
In the years that followed, the Watergate became a godsend to Kilkenny’s talented theatrical and musical groups, and a magnet for touring companies that saw Kilkenny as an artistic Mecca.
The advent of the Watergate was the culmination of a long and colourful history of theatre in Kilkenny. The forecourt of the much-loved Tholsel in High Street had for centuries attracted strolling players, troubadours, buskers, and other street performers who enlivened the heart of the old city in good times and bad.
Passers-by would forget their troubles for a few minutes; or maybe a little longer and enjoy the dazzling verbal, instrumental, or vocal virtuosity of the performers. On rainy days, both entertainers and their audiences could seek shelter from the elements under the protective stone canopy that the Tholsel provided. Small wonder that somebody dubbed it the “biggest umbrella in town”.
The Parade, created by the 1st Duke of Ormonde, James Butler, became the focal point of theatrical life between the years 1802 and 1819. A privately owned theatre known as The Athenaeum was located there and enjoyed phenomenal success. Among its illustrious founders were Richard and John Power of Kilfane.
This was the same John Power who allegedly met the Devil after returning from a day’s hunting. This theatre upheld and enshrined a popular 19th century tradition of country house amateur theatricals. But a few high profile professionals and celebrity actors also took to its stage.
One of its best known performers was the great Thomas Moore, composer of the famed Moore’s Melodies that are still played to audiences all over the English speaking world and beyond. Moore’s influence, in turn, encouraged and inspired Kilkenny playwright John Banim to pursue a distinguished literary career.
Sadly, The Athenaeum fell by the wayside and was forced to close. A theatrical vacuum arose that was filled, as in past times, by a return to performances in the Tholsel, and at schools in the city. A large shed in what is now the Market Yard was also converted for use as a makeshift but vibrant playhouse.
1902 witnessed another watershed in the evolution of the city’s dramatic heritage. Thanks mainly to the impetus and financial support of Lady Desart, a true friend of the city and county, the Kilkenny Theatre opened its doors on Patrick Street in that year. The Countess financed the construction of this much-needed facility.
It was a spacious, beautifully designed theatre, equipped to seat between eight and nine hundred patrons. Lady Desart ran the Kilkenny Theatre until her death in 1933. It was then taken over by the Stallard family who managed it until its closure in 1962.
(Marianne Kelly of the Kilkenny Heritage Walkers gave a spellbinding talk on this proud chapter of local history last month.)
The closure represented a loss that Kilkenny felt deeply. The city was again without a theatre. Performers had to resort as in days of yore to schools, open-air venues, hotels, church interiors, and GAA buildings or pitches.
In 1989, the local theatrical scene received a welcome boost with the conversion of an area to the rear of Cleere’s Pub in Parliament Street for use as an 80-seat theatre. Cleere’s Theatre has won plaudits for its quality productions.
The Watergate continues to shine. Since it opened in 1993, it has achieved national and international fame as a centre of dramatic excellence. The historic grounds of Kilkenny Castle and the restored Hole in the Wall tavern have also played host to theatrical events, and, during the annual Arts Festival almost any part of the Olde Medieval City can become a stage.
