Clew Bay Hotel | Saturday 25 October 2025 | 3:00pm
In the early 20th century, Alois Hitler, elder half-brother of Adolf, worked as a waiter in Dublin. There, he meets Bridget, a local girl, and the two fall in love, eloping to Liverpool where they have a son—Willie, or Paddy Hitler.
As a young man, Paddy spends time in Berlin with his infamous uncle in the years leading up to World War II. Their relationship eventually fractures, and Paddy moves to New York with his mother.
During the war, the British hope to recruit Paddy to influence America’s stance, but the country is divided, with “America First” dominating public opinion.
In Paddy Hitler, Paddy reflects on his extraordinary life: the parents who brought him into the world, the father who abandoned him, the turmoil of his uncle’s shadow, and the strange fame he finds in New York.
While Alois, Bridget, and Paddy Hitler were real people, the story blurs fact and fiction. Each character reinvents their past, shaping it to suit their own narrative.
Westival proudly presents the Irish premiere of Paddy Hitler. Critics hailed Kieran Cooke’s performance as “a virtuoso,” following the play’s staging earlier this year at Oxford’s Burton Taylor Theatre.
Starring: Kieran Cooke and Orla Gaffney