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 Carys D. Coburn (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 Estate, a 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

Mark is the Executive Director and Co-Director of the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre, a role he began in May 2021. Mark has over 30 years’ experience in the theatre and wider culture sector, working nationally and internationally, as chief executive, executive producer, facilitator, actor, sound designer and theatre director.

From 2011 – 2021, Mark was Director of axis Ballymun where, in parallel to developing new financial, operation and production models for the organisation, he led its development as a theatre and arts organisation of local, national and international renown; initiating, developing, directing, producing and commissioning new work, across theatre, arts development and engagement contexts. He also led the organisation through two years of mentorship on the Business to Arts ‘New Stream’ programme with the Devos Institute, at the University of Maryland.

Throughout his career Mark has built sustainable relationships with a range of stakeholders, across a diverse range of sectors – artistic, cultural, non-profit, corporate, private, statutory, academic, local and central government –  and developed many collaborations nationally and internationally. He has also led, developed and directed work in the youth theatre and theatre and education sector, and in a range of community contexts.

Mark has served on a range of boards as a non-executive director including Create (National Development Agency for Collaborative Arts), Team Educational Theatre Co., Kids Own Publishing and Blanchardstown Institute of Technology.

Mark holds a Master’s degree in Literature from University College Dublin and a Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation and Social Enterprise from the Ryan Academy at Dublin City University.

Staff