The Waterford International Festival of Light Opera (later Waterford International Music Festival) was established in 1959 to showcase competition between amateur light opera and musicals groups from across the world. It might never have spawned had a similar festival arranged in nearby Tralee in 1958 not been deemed a failure and replaced with a "Rose of Tralee" festival, which cleared the way for local rivals in Waterford to attempt their own version. After the first festival in 1959 it enjoyed an uninterrupted run until 2007 when it was paused to allow for refurbishment of the festival's host venue the Theatre Royal (founded in 1785, and itself with a rich history). 

The theatre's reopening in 2010 conicided with the 50th Festival at which time it was restructured under the wider banner of the Waterford International Music Festival which now consisted of the Waterford International Light Opera Festival, the High School Festival, the Gospel Festival and the Fringe Festival. Sadly, economic difficulties and shifts in available entertainment priorities led to the last Festival running in 2012, bringing to an end a proud tradition with a rich heritage.

After being invited to compete in the Festival in 1992 on the basis of review of a video of the January production of The Sorcerer, a cast of 31 (which overlapped with, but was not identical to the January cast) with some crew and others travelled to South East Ireland by ferry and minibus. The Company stayed in a Bed & Breakfast in the picturesque seaside town of Tramore and travelled the 7 miles inland to Waterford for dress rehearsal and performance all on a single day.  

Highlights of the week included strategic allocation of members to same sex room pairings to align with local expectations about moral propriety (later subverted by all Savoy couples), a scandalously poor review from the Festival adjudicator who was later confronted by the Honorary Vice President, Des O' Brien, with pleasingly direct Irish 'diplomacy' and unlimited appreciatiation of Guiness throughout the stay (as a mark of respect for our Celtic cousins). 

Travel, leisure time and countryside