Theatres in Kilkenny: Watergate, Set and Cleere's Explained

Watergate Theatre: A Civic-Scale Auditorium Opened in 1993

The Watergate Theatre opened on 4 April 1993, with President Mary Robinson performing the official opening. The theatre's own account traces the project back to a fundraising effort led by local theatre lovers, who then stayed closely involved with the venue in the years that followed.

That origin helps explain the Watergate's character. It was built as a purpose-designed performance hub rather than converted from another building, and the operator describes the opening as a turning point that brought national and international work to an intimate new space in the city.

For a visitor weighing up a night out, the practical consequence is a conventional auditorium experience: you buy a ticket for a fixed performance, arrive for a start time and take a seat. That is a different proposition from a pub back room or a hotel function space, and it suits anyone who wants the evening built around the performance itself.

What the Watergate Stages

The Watergate's own history page describes a programme spanning theatre, music, opera, stand-up, dance and musical theatre, drawn from Irish and international performers. The venue frames its purpose as entertaining audiences while fostering talent and acting as a centre for creative excellence.

Because that range is broad, the Watergate can look like several venues in one depending on the week. A dance double bill, a touring play and a comedy night may each use the same room quite differently. Rather than assuming a house style, read the individual event description, since staging, seating and atmosphere follow the production rather than the building.

Watergate Access in Practice

The Watergate states that there is level access to the theatre, the auditorium and the toilet facilities, and that a ramp leads from Parliament Street to the main door. Wheelchair spaces are allocated in the main auditorium and can be booked online or discussed with the box office, which can also advise on companion and carer arrangements.

One limitation is worth flagging before you arrive: the upstairs exhibition space is reached by stairs only, so it should not be treated as part of a step-free route through the building. The ground-floor auditorium and toilets are the accessible portion of a visit, and the operator does not claim step-free access throughout.

A hearing loop is listed, but the theatre advises patrons who need it to make contact in advance so its activation can be confirmed. Registered assistance dogs are welcome, again with notice at the time of booking so suitable seating can be arranged. These are arrangements to sort out when you book, not on the night.

Watergate Booking Details

The Watergate box office is listed at 056 7761674 and boxoffice@watergatetheatre.com, with stated opening hours of Wednesday to Saturday, 2pm to 6pm. Those hours are the theatre's own published times, so anyone travelling specifically to call in should confirm them beforehand rather than treating them as fixed.

The theatre also runs relaxed performances from time to time, with doors opening early, softened lighting and sound, and freedom to move in and out of the auditorium. These are scheduled rather than standard, so check whether a particular performance has one. Concessions and carer tickets are likewise offered at each promoter's discretion and may require supporting documentation.

Set Theatre: A 2009 Room Inside Langtons Hotel

The Set Theatre was constructed in 2009 as the newest part of Langtons Hotel, and its interiors were designed by the London studio David Collins. It is a contemporary addition to a long-established hotel site rather than a standalone historic playhouse.

Because it sits within a hotel, the rhythm of an evening differs from a dedicated theatre. A drink before the show is part of the building rather than a separate errand. The trade-off is that the venue is a multipurpose room first and a theatre second, which shows in how it is configured for different events.

Set Scale and Seating

The operator gives the capacity as roughly 250 seated or up to 400 standing, and describes the room as multipurpose, hosting music, comedy, film and conferencing. Those two figures are not a contradiction so much as an indication that the floor plan changes with the event.

The lesson for visitors is not to assume a seated auditorium. A comedy or film screening may be fully seated, while a music bill may be standing or partly standing. Check the individual event's wording on seating before booking if sitting through the performance matters to you, particularly for anyone with mobility or stamina concerns.

Set Location on John Street

The Set is on John Street in the city centre, and the operator describes the venue as a short walk from the train station and bus stops, giving a walking estimate of around five minutes. That is the venue's own description rather than an independently timed route, so allow margin if you are arriving for a fixed start.

The Set's central John Street address makes it an easy anchor for an afternoon in the city, whether that means looking at the churches in kilkenny or walking up towards Kilkenny Castle before an evening performance. If you want to plan the afternoon properly, a self-guided route through the medieval streets helps you judge walking distances between stops.

Cleere's Bar and Theatre: A Pub with a Rear Performance Room

Cleere's was founded in 1988 by John and Phyl Cleere on Parliament Street, and an intimate theatre space was added to the rear of the building in the early 1990s. The pairing of pub and performance room has shaped its identity ever since, with conversation and performance sharing the same address.

Visitors often miss the distinction that matters here: the pub at 28 Parliament Street and the rear theatre are not the same space. A performance in the theatre is a ticketed event in its own right, so arriving for a drink does not grant entry to a show, and a ticket does not describe the whole evening.

Cleere's Programme and Festival Associations

The theatre room at Cleere's has hosted music, comedy, theatre, poetry and spoken word, according to the venue's own account. The operator also names the room as a regular stop for major festivals including the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival, the Kilkenny Arts Festival and the Kilkenny Roots Festival.

Those festival links describe a working relationship rather than a guaranteed annual programme, and no specific dates are published here. If a festival is the reason for your trip, check that festival's own listings to see whether Cleere's features in that edition, and whether the event is in the bar or the rear theatre.

How to Choose Between the Three

Start with the format you actually want. A dedicated auditorium with a fixed seat and a clear sightline points to the Watergate; a contemporary room where a hotel bar is part of the evening points to the Set; a close, low-capacity performance with a pub in front of it points to Cleere's.

Then filter by access and seating. If step-free access to your seat is essential, the Watergate is the clearest fit: the theatre states there is level access to the theatre, auditorium and toilets, while its upstairs exhibition space is reached by stairs only. If you need a guaranteed seat rather than a standing floor, confirm the layout for the specific Set event before buying.

Capacity also changes the feel: a room of up to 400 at the Set, an intimate rear space at Cleere's and a mid-sized auditorium at the Watergate each put a different distance between performer and audience. None of this makes one venue better than another; it makes them suited to different evenings. If you are building a wider sightseeing plan around an evening show, the broader set of Kilkenny Attractions: 6 Visitor Guides shows what else sits within the same compact centre, and comparing theatres in cork can help if you are weighing a similar night out on another Irish stop. For the city's historic sites, see Castles in Kilkenny.

Before You Go

No single source lists everything on in Kilkenny, so check each venue's own listings before committing to a date: the Watergate, the Set and Cleere's each publish their own programme. Confirm the specific show, its seating arrangement and its start time rather than relying on a general impression of the venue.

If you have access requirements, raise them at the point of booking: wheelchair spaces and assistance-dog seating at the Watergate, hearing-loop activation, and any carer or concession ticket request. Setting those out early gives the box office the best chance of accommodating you, and it is the one detail worth double-checking before you travel.