Théâtre de l'abbaye

The Abbey Theatre (“Théâtre de l’Abbaye” in French, sometimes nicknamed “l’Abbaye”), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland (Théâtre national d’Irlande), is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The institution opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904 and has been able to continue its activities without major interruption up to the present day, despite the destruction of its historic premises by fire in 1951. The Abbey Theatre is the first theatre in the English-speaking world to have been funded by public subsidy: the annual grant needed for its operation has been paid by the Republic of Ireland since 1925.

Originally, the venue was closely associated with the Irish Literary Revival (Celtic revival), many of whose figures took part in founding the institution by staging their plays there. The Abbaye was thus the cradle of most of the great Irish playwrights and actors of the twentieth century. Since then, the Abbaye has pursued an active touring policy abroad, particularly among North American audiences, which has helped to strengthen its international profile and make it a genuine tourist attraction in Ireland.