As Ireland’s national theatre, the Abbey Theatre’s ambition is to enrich the cultural lives of everyone with a curiosity for and interest in Irish theatre, stories, artists and culture. Courage and imagination are at the heart of our storytelling, while inclusivity, diversity and equality are at the core of our thinking. Led by Co-Directors Caitríona McLaughlin (Artistic Director) and Mark O’Brien (Executive Director), the Abbey Theatre celebrates both the rich canon of Irish dramatic writing and the potential of future generations of Irish theatre artists. 

Ireland has a rich history of theatre and playwriting and extraordinary actors, designers and directors. Artists are at the heart of our organisation, with Marina Carr and Conor McPherson as Senior Associate Playwrights and Caroline Byrne as Associate Director. 

Our stories teach us what it is to belong, what it is to be excluded and to exclude. Artistically our programme is built on twin impulses, and around two questions: “who we were, and who are we now?” We interrogate our classical canon with an urgency about what makes it speak to this moment. On our stages we find and champion new voices and new ways of seeing, our purpose – to identify combinations of characters we are yet to meet, having conversations we are yet to hear.  

Our Mission 

Our mission is to effectively and imaginatively engage with all of Irish society through the production of ambitious, courageous theatre in all its forms. The Abbey Theatre is artist-led and audience-focused: we seek to ensure our programmes are driven by ambitious, big ideas by theatre-makers of all disciplines, relevant to our times and reflective of our role as a national theatre.

Is é ár misean a bheith ag gabháil go héifeachtach agus go samhlaíoch le sochaí na hÉireann go huile trí léiriú a dhéanamh ar amharclannaíocht uaillmhianach chróga de gach uile ghné. Ealaíontóirí iad na ceannródaithe in Amharclann na Mainistreach, amharclann atá dírithe ar an lucht féachana: féachaimid lena chinntiú gur smaointe móra uaillmhianacha ó amharclannóirí i ngach aon disciplín a spreagann ár gcláir ar daoine iad a bhaineann lenár ré agus a thugann léargas ar ár ról mar amharclann náisiúnta.

Co-Directors 

Caitríona McLaughlin and Mark O’Brien. Image – Rich Gilligan

Caitríona McLaughlin – Artistic Director

Caitríona was born in Donegal and studied science at the University of Ulster before moving into theatre. She was Associate Director at the Abbey Theatre from 2017-2020, where her productions included: The Great Hunger by Patrick Kavanagh (with Conall Morrison); Citysong by Dylan Coburn Gray (ITTA nomination Best New Play); On Raftery’s Hill by Marina Carr, (for which she won Best Director at the 2019 ITTA); and Two Pints by Roddy Doyle, which toured widely in Ireland and the USA. She also worked with theatre and opera companies on both sides of the border, including Wexford Opera, Hot for Theatre, INO, The Local Group, and Landmark, and she was the director on O’Casey in the Estatea TV documentary shown on RTE.

Prior to moving into directing, with Patrick McCabe’s Frank Pig Says Hello at the Finborough Theatre in London in 2003, Caitríona worked as a drama facilitator in Northern Ireland, working with young people and in conflict resolution. In London, she directed numerous productions, focusing primarily on new writing, and collaborated with the Royal Court in sourcing and developing a new theatre space. She was awarded a Clore Fellowship in 2007 and subsequently spent six summers with LAByrinth Theatre Company in New York developing new plays for Artistic Directors John Ortiz and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, at their Summer Intensive. During this time Caitríona also directed a number of plays in New York including Killers and other Family (part of the OBIE award-winning Hilltown Plays) and plays at Atlantic Theatre, Rattlestick, and Bard Summerscape.

Mark O’Brien – Executive Director

From Bray, Co Wicklow, Mark studied at University College Dublin, graduating with a Master’s degree in English Literature.  He has had over 25 years’ experience in the theatre and wider culture sectors, as a leader, facilitator, actor, sound designer, administrator, and theatre director. He has also led, directed, and developed work in the youth theatre sector, and with Team Educational Theatre Company.

Mark was previously Director of axis arts centre Ballymun. Over ten years, he developed axis into an organisation and space of local, national and international renown, that created, facilitated and produced new and significant work, across theatre, arts development and engagement contexts. Mark led the organisation through two years of mentorship on the New Stream programme with the Devos Institute, at the University of Maryland and Business to Arts and completed a postgraduate diploma in Innovation and Social Enterprise at the Ryan Academy. Under his leadership, axis became an artistic and cultural hub for both artist and public, saw a 100% increase in gross box office, developing new income streams, a building expansion, and a new operational model, all while instilling a developmental and supportive ethos with the over 35 full / part-time staff, and many artists / collaborators. His driving force was to achieve a shared vision of excellence through inclusion.

He built strong relationships with a range of stakeholders, across a diverse range of sectors – artistic, cultural, non-profit, private, statutory, academic, local government and government –  and collaborated nationally and internationally with bodies including Dublin Port Company, British Council, St Patricks Festival, Health Service Executive, Creative Carbon Scotland, and Creative Europe.

 

Staff 

Archives

Mairéad Delaney

Associate Artists

Caroline Byrne
Marina Carr
Conor McPherson

Casting

Deborah Pearce

Communications

Muireann Kane
Heather Maher
Róisín McGann
Stephen Moloney
Christine Monk
Jack O’Dea
John Tierney

Community and Education

Austin Holt

Phil Kingston
Grace McKiernan

Costume

Eimear Farrell
Donna Geraghty
Sandra Gibney
Izzy Jones-McAuley
Ailbhe Kelly-Miller
Victoria Miller
Tara Mulvihill
Siofra Ni Chiardha

Co-Directors

Caitríona McLaughlin
Mark O’Brien

Executive Office

Fiona Reynolds

Finance and Operations

Richard Bartlett

Aisling Gilroy
Catherine Griffin
Susan McIlreavy

Etienne Mifsud
Tara O’Reilly

Furniture and Props

Dylan Farrell
Eimer Murphy
Adam O’Connell

People & Culture

Shane Doherty
Molly Reid
Ciara Samuel

Light and Sound

Simon Burke
Eoin Byrne
David Carpenter
Sophie Cassidy
Derek Conaghy
Morgan Dunne
Laura Honan
Kevin McFadden
Sean Treacy

Facilities

Jeff Conway
Colin O’Connor
Simon O’Reilly

Literary and New Work Department

Ruth McGowan
Selina O’Reilly
Rian Smith
Jesse Weaver

Producing

Jen Coppinger
Craig Flaherty
Aoife McCollum
Clara Purcell

Production

Cliff Barragry
Andy Keogh
Justin Murphy
Rob Furey

Resident Directors

Gea Gojak
Claire O’Reilly
Laura Sheeran
Colm Summers

Sales and Customer Services

Nicola Branigan
Lauren Colhoun
Karl Corr
Deirdre Daly
Con Doyle
Daragh McMahon
Dermot Hicks
Dara Hogan
Austin Holt
Narges Jahani
Marie Lawlor
Elaine Mannion
Rosa McCallig
Ciaran McGlynn
Donna Murphy
Adam Nealon
Dean Reidy
Sean Roper Nolan
Fergal Styles
Laura O’Shea
Jennifer Carbery

Stage Management

Orla Burke
Bronagh Doherty
Aidan Doheny
Danny Erskine
Tara Furlong
Brendan Galvin
Barbara Hughes
Leanne Vaughey

Stage Technical

John Finnegan
Larry Jones
Shane Kenny
Davy McChrystal
Brian O’Carroll
Martin Reid
Pat Russell
Joseph Sanders

Voice Director

Andrea Ainsworth