Category: Music, Theatre, Spoken Word Events
Our showcase of the most exciting new creative voices breaking through in Dublin is back!
This vibrant night brings together emerging poets, spoken-word artists, theatre‑makers and musicians for a fast‑moving celebration of what’s next.
Expect surprises, big talent and the thrill of catching artists on the rise.
Confirmed Acts:
Dubh Lee – Dubh Lee is an Irish songwriter and guitarist whose honest lyricism and commanding stage presence have made her a compelling voice on the country’s independent music circuit. Blending folk storytelling with indie rock grit and flashes of alt-pop energy, the Offaly artist writes with striking honesty about excess, ennui, heartache and womanhood. A seasoned live performer, Dubh Lee has brought her dynamic shows to stages across Ireland, appearing at festivals including Electric Picnic, All Together Now and Fuinneamh Festival, as well as the renowned Dublin showcase night The Ruby Sessions. In 2023 her song To My Sisters won the Night and Day Song Contest, further cementing her reputation as a powerful emerging songwriter. Her second EP FUFO will be released in May 2026 accompanied by an Irish tour across ten counties.
Eva Mary Lucy – Eva Mary Lucy is a Belgian spoken word artist based in Dublin. After winning the 2024 Talkatives Grand Slam and most recently the 2025 All-Ireland Poetry Slam Championship, she has carved her voice through Ireland’s art scene and was named on Hot Press Magazine’s “Ones to Watch 2026” list. Her performances create a sense of intimacy and connection as she explores themes of family, grief, mental health, and womanhood. And if you’re lucky, you might just discover what she keeps in her biscuit tin…
MANA – MANA is a musical project consisting of Greg Clifford, based in Berlin, and Shane Byrne, based in Dublin. Moving away from the traditional band structure, the duo operates as a cross-border collaboration, releasing music that explores the space between ’80s post-punk and modern indie rock. Following their debut single “Our Words,” the project’s recent release “Conveyor Belt” further established their sound: a blend of raw intensity, melodic sensibility and melancholic electric guitar tones. Thematically MANA is a response to the polarised and cynical world we reside in. Clifford’s lyrics focus on an environment where individuals are often reduced to feeling disillusioned, undermined, and fragmented whilst also offering a sense of solace and solidarity in the face of the absurd.
Conor Killeen
– Conor is a spoken word artist and poet from Dunboyne based out of Dublin. He began performing at open mics around Dublin, and has since performed at Dublin’s Finest as well as being the featured act at Smithfield Creatives and Circle Sessions. His pieces focus on his own struggles in life with mental health, masculinity, love, and heartbreak. His pieces don’t hold back in sharing the most vulnerable aspects of his past and how they’ve shaped his outlook on life in the present. He hopes people can find a part of themselves in his work and that it allows them to relate and open up to the parts of themselves that they may keep closed off.
Isolde Fenton is an actor and writer from Limerick, living in Phibsborough. Isolde trained at the Gaiety School of Acting from 2019 – 2021, and with the UK National Youth Theatre Rep Company from 2022 – 2023. Her most recent credits as an actor include PEGGY in Mortal Sin (Bewley’s Café Theatre/The Viking Theatre), OPHELIA in Hamlet (DLR Mill Theatre) and BEATRICE in Much Ado About Nothing (Duke of York’s Theatre). Her debut play, CHALK & CHEESE, won the PJ O’Connor Radio Award in 2024. It was then produced by RTÉ Drama on One and starred Aoife Duffin. Her one woman show, IN A BAD WAY, premiered at the inaugural Cork Fringe in 2025. It was then produced as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival, where it was nominated for the First Fortnight Award and the Bewley’s Café Little Gem Award respectively. It was performed as part of the LASTA Festival at Belltable Theatre Limerick, where she was the most recent Artist in Residence. She was chosen as one of the Irish Examiner’s Ones To Watch in 2025.
Naming Cows Theatre Co. Based in Smithfield, Dublin 7, Naming Cows Theatre Company was born from the meeting of Darragh Gilhooly, a Leitrim writer and actor, and Gwenaelle Gillet, a French theatre-maker and actor, during their time on the Gaiety School of Acting’s Full Time Programme. Naming Cows’ aim is to create visually striking, atmospheric work that transports audiences into worlds that feel both unfamiliar and deeply recognisable. Their work explores the tension between what is said and unsaid, delving into themes of secrecy, memory and the reliability of narration.
Formed through the theatre-making class ‘Manifesto’ at the Gaiety School, Naming Cows have since developed into a rising voice on the Irish theatre scene, with acclaimed productions including Un crocodile at Smock Alley Theatre and The Anatomy of Burke & Hare, which toured venues in Leitrim and Dublin. Darragh and Gwen continue to collaborate as writers, performers and directors within the company, shaping bold new work for the stage. Their upcoming projects include yellowing., written by Gwen and set to be presented at The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon, as well as a work in development titled Blackthorn, written by Darragh.
Tickets €15 (Booking Essential)