Théâtre de l'abbaye

The Abbey Theatre (sometimes nicknamed “the Abbey”), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland, is a theatre venue located in Dublin, Ireland. The institution first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904 and has continued its activities without major interruption to this 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 financed by public aid: the annual subsidy necessary 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) movement, many of whose representatives participated in the institution's founding by having their plays performed there. The Abbey was thus the birthplace of most of the great Irish playwrights and actors of the 20th century. Since then, the Abbey has pursued an active policy of international touring, particularly to North American audiences, which has helped to strengthen its international visibility and make it a true tourist attraction in Ireland.