Declan's debut for Bawds was in John Logan's study of the infamous Leopold & Loeb 1920s murder trial, NEVER THE SINNER (pictured right as Richard Loeb).

This was followed later the same year by THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK when Declan played the dual roles of King Louis XIV and his identical twin brother, Philippe. Both of these performances earned Declan the Bawds 2005 award for Acting - the Golden Plume.