It was the support, generosity and conviction of our founding patron, Annie Horniman, that brought Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats vision for an Irish national theatre to life. With her patronage, the Abbey Theatre was born in 1904 and the vision realised.

Support Us 

While the world may have changed dramatically since then, our love of the arts and culture remains steadfast. The Abbey Theatre has evolved and transformed since its foundation to mirror a country finding its identity.

Yet like Annie Horniman’s Abbey Theatre of 1904, we still rely on the generosity of our patrons to support us. Without them, we could not celebrate much-loved classic plays which find new meaning in our modern world, or stage new Irish theatre and give our audiences the chance to glimpse the great talents of the future. Without our patrons, we cannot share these voices on our stages, with our communities, or in our schools.

Learn more about the benefits of being an Abbey Theatre Patron here.

As a Patron of the Abbey Theatre, you play a vital part in how we fulfil our role as a national theatre; we strive to enrich, engage, and make a positive contribution to the artistic landscape of the island. Ireland is a nation of stories and storytellers, and our goal is to tell them, share them and celebrate them.

From bringing inspiring and ambitious work to our audiences throughout Ireland and beyond, to introducing young people to the joy of theatre, and nurturing new and existing writers, directors, performers, and designers, the Abbey Theatre hopes that our work creates new ways of seeing, creating kinship and prompting questions.

We invite you to become an Abbey Theatre Patron and to take your place at the heart of the Abbey Theatre by giving the necessary philanthropic support to enable us to continue this ambitious work.

We believe in the transformative power of theatre; we believe that it inspires, challenges, heals, and lifts the collective spirit of our audiences.

All of this is made possible through the support, passion, and generosity of those with the vision to recognise the intrinsic societal value of the arts, culture, and heritage and how it helps us make sense our past and look toward the future.

Become a Patron 

To discuss becoming an Abbey Theatre patron, please contact Marie Lawlor via email Marie.lawlor@abbeytheatre.ie or phone (+353) 1 8797302.