On Sunday, September 20, the Solas Nua New Voices Award was presented as part of the 2026 Dublin Fringe Festival.
The Solas Nua New Voices Award is an international partnership with the Dublin Fringe Festival. It gives one playwright in the festival the opportunity to have a reading of their play performed by Solas Nua in Washington and recognises a writer with a singular voice whose work speaks to contemporary social, political or cultural issues in Ireland.
NOMINEES:
- BUTCH by Hannah Bevan
- DADDY ISSUES by Brigid Leahy
- Muster by Dagogo Hart
- SOAK: The Perfect Man by Samuel Yakura
- SUPLEX by Ois O’Donoghue
WINNER: SUPLEX by Ois O’Donoghue
SUPLEX is a joyful and heart-warming exploration of women's sports, told through the high-stakes world of wrestling. When Danu, a trans athlete, tries to break into Irish wrestling, she finds herself cast as “the heel” in a match to save women’s sports from the “evil invader.” Ois O’Donoghue’s play flexes comedic muscles and poignant insight into this highly politicalized arena.
This is the fourth year of the award. Previous winners are:
-
Good With Faces by Oisin Kearney (2025)
-
Anthem for Dissatisfaction by Gina Donnelly (2024)
-
May Day by Holly Furey (2023)
