Irish Dramatic Movement

At the end of the nineteenth century, Ireland was under British rule and formed a part of the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland. However, Irish nationalism was strong and many sought independence from Britain. Ireland’s theatrical scene was no different, as several playwrights and directors sought to establish a national theatre that reflected the country’s identity and concerns. This guide will explore the development of Irish drama from 1899 onwards and its influence on contemporary Irish theatre.

Terminology

• Abbey Theatre: the first Irish national theatre to open in December 1904.
• Dialect: a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group.
• Manifesto: a public definition of beliefs, intentions, and aims.
• Nationalism: advocacy of or support for the political independence of a particular nation or people.
• Noh Theatre: a form of Japanese theater which originated in the fourteenth century and includes music, dance and drama.
• Sinn Féin: translates from Irish as “We ourselves”; a political party long regarded as the political wing of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).
• Transliteration: the process of transferring a word from the alphabet of one language to another.

Key Dates & Events

• 1899 - Establishment of the Irish Literary Theatre in Dublin by W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, George Moore and Edward Martyn.
• 1904 - Opening of the Irish National Theatre Society (later renamed the Abbey Theatre).
• 1905 - Foundation of the Sinn Féin organisation. In the aftermath of the Irish Civil War (1922-1924), the organisation gave rise to the two traditionally dominant parties of Irish politics: Fianna Fáil and Cumann na nGaedheal (which became Fine Gael).
• 1916 - Irish republicans launched the Easter Rising against British rule. They proclaimed an Irish Republic, which was crushed by British soldiers after a week of fighting.
• 1919 - 1921 - The Irish War of Independence. The guerilla-war resulted in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which ended British rule in most of Ireland (Northern Ireland remained a part of the UK).
• 1922 - The Irish Free State was created as a self-governing nation on 6 December.
• 1922-1924 - The Irish Civil War. A conflict waged between two opposing groups, the pro-treaty Provisional Government and the anti-treaty Irish Republican Army (IRA), over the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
• 1928 - Foundation of the An Taidhbhearc, a theatre dedicated to the Irish language.
• 1928 - Foundation of the Gate Theatre in Dublin.