GAA play comes to Kildare

Cathal Ryan centre stage in his play Pucked
THE Newbridge theatre at Riverbank Arts Centre welcomes play
by Cathal Ryan to its stage on Saturday 1 March.Pucked is a fast-paced, comedic, theatrical, one-man show that tells the story of the young and ambitious hurler Matty Daly.
Immersed in the GAA from birth, Matty has one dream and one dream only, to play on his senior team. When Matty finally gets called up, we join him as he learns the hard way, that playing senior isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.
Pucked tackles issues such as self- confidence, individualism, masculinity and ambition with humour and energy, all the while celebrating hurling. Playwright Cathal Ryan said: “‘With
, I don’t want to teach anything but I’d hope that people coming to the play, particularly young men, might feel that there are thoughts in it that they’d share”.Originally produced as part of the Clonmel Junction Arts Festival,
received widespread acclaim when it first toured in 2022. Endorsed by the GAA, this is a show for theatre and GAA fans alike.Kicking off its All-Ireland tour at Source Arts Centre in Thurles, the play will embark on a twelve venue tour across Ireland, including Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge.