15/03/2026
Know Promises Theatre Collective is delighted to introduce Freya McBride and Rachel Donlon, two of the recipients of the 2026 Bag of Cats Award.
Freya McBride
Freya McBride is 22 and originally from Kildare. She is currently in her final year of Performing Arts at ATU Sligo. From a young age she has always had a love for performing, whether acting or dance, and is excited to continue growing her skills and knowledge while sharing her love of the stage with a wider audience. She has a passion for theatre performance and creation and enjoys working in collaboration with other artists. The freedom of expression within the arts, where nothing ever has to fit into a particular box, is what keeps her driven and excited to be within the creative field. Her most recent creative venture is co-founding a production company called An Comhar Productions with her colleague Rachel Donlon.
Rachel Donlon
Rachel Donlon is a performer from Kildare and a soon-to-be graduate of the Performing Arts programme at ATU Sligo. Her foundational experience began with Kildare Youth Theatre, where devising was a primary element, before moving to Sligo full-time to pursue her degree.
Outside of her studies, she has participated in theatre productions such as Pop-Up Theatre’s 2025 production of Sweeney Todd. She has appeared in numerous independent and RTÉ funded short films, some of which were screened at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival. In addition to her performance work, she has gained industry experience as a background artist on major TV series and feature films.
Driven by a passion for Celtic Mythology and innovative Irish storytelling, she recently co-founded a production company alongside her colleague, Freya McBride, where they are currently working on their first Irish language short film.
We’re delighted to have Freya and Rachel as part of the Bag of Cats Award residency and look forward to supporting their work over the coming year.
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