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THE BOARD of the Abbey Theatre has announced the purchase of a site adjacent to its current location, allowing the theatre to be redeveloped on its current site and ending years of speculation about a potential relocation.
The site at 15-17 Eden Quay is adjacent to the current space, and means the national theatre can now remain at its current site instead of having to relocate in order to expand and host larger performances.
Theatre director Senator Fiach Mac Conghail said the current theatre was “an iconic building in Dublin city” and that taking the opportunity to purchase the nearby site was “a common sense solution to securing the future of the Abbey Theatre”.
The current theatre building at 26 Lower Abbey Street, originally opened in 1904 and rebuilt following a fire in the 1950s, has been considered inadequate in terms of working conditions for actors and staff, as well as offering a poor experience for visitors and also has limits to disability access.
“This is a proud day for the Abbey Theatre and a testament to the vision of our board and my management team,” Mac Conghail said.
“We have purchased this site next door so that we can redevelop, at some point in the future, a new building for the Abbey on our own site.”
Various plans had been floated in recent years to relocate the theatre, initially to the GPO in time for the centenary of the 1916 Rising, and then to a venue in the IFSC in Dublin’s Docklands.
Arts minister Jimmy Deenihan welcomed the news, saying he considered the long-running question about a possible relocation to now be “absolutely settled”.
“The Abbey Street location is now, and will be for the future, the home of the National Theatre,” he said, describing the acquisition of the adjacent site as a “clear road map for the future”.
Deenihan said the focus for the theatre must now be on raising the funds needed to redevelop the site, but warned that the level of taxpayer resources available to the theatre would remain “under very serious pressure” in the coming years.
The government has already allocated additional resources to the theatre this year to manage the removal of asbestos in the current building. The theatre has relocated to Belvedere College for the duration of the works.
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Amazing achievement. Congratulations Saoirse!
@Smidgen Dublin: it’s a great achievement for her alright but a horrible category this year.. Scarlett Johansson gave an acting tour de force in marriage story, can’t see anyone other than her winning. But, to be nominated is still amazing.
@Peter Cavey: Scarlett deserves to win, but Any Hollywood biopic nominee always gets it so it’ll be Renee
Delighted for her.
A great achievement to have so many nominations at such a young age. She comes across as really down to earth and likeable and represents Ireland well.
Just waiting for all the usual begrudgers to start commenting on her accent…
@Daragh Cassidy: in fairness its you that’s starting it.
@Daragh Cassidy: yeah what is the craic with the accent? Seeing as you mentioned it.
@Daragh Cassidy: Last sentence is your true agenda. Rest of it is filler to get you to said agenda.
Just how little were these women?
I assumed they were all under 5 feet – but I was wrong apparently!!!
Great actress but OMG ladybird was sooooo overhyped ….. sheeyte to be honest .
@Camacsaint: little women is worse. Daytime tv.
@alan: chick flick
Was gobmsacked to learn Bela from Fair City is her Father. Some family of actors. Well done Saoirse.
@Marbles: No hes not it’s another fella from fair city
@Marbles: you’ll need to fact check that one Marbles …
@Marbles: hes not
@Marbles:
I’m sure her real father would be even more shocked!
@Marbles: her father plays Anto Collins in Fair City
@Marbles: Paul Ronan’s acting career started in TV and films since the mid-’90s, notably as Edso Dowling in the Ballykissangel TV series; other TV appearances include Rebel Heart and The Tudors. But yes he did a role as Anto in Fair City a few years back. His most notable achievement along with his wife Monica, was mentoring, nurturing and developing a most fantastic young lady Saoirse.
@Marbles: stay out of the research industry
@Marbles: Best laugh so far this year. I hear Fr Michael Clearly was Donald Trumps third cousin. You might fact check that there Marbles. Gas ticket.
@Charles McCarthy: As they say, don’t ever meet your heroes, you’ll be dissapointed.
The Oscars? Yawn.
Hope she wins it.
@Pat O’Leary: couldn’t give a s**t.Her wiining won’t butter my parsnips.
Joker deserves to clean up including best actor Oscar for JP
Some achievement well done on a side note can’t see Joaquin Phoenix getting best actor after his rambling expletive laden speech at the Golden Globes .
@Bass demon: That’d be a shame. Incredible film. The cinematography was superb too.
@Bass demon: they don’t vote on best or worst acceptance speeches -which is just as well or half the oscars won would be taken back by now – he will win it because the acting in the Joker was great – he just owned the screen and would be a worthy winner in my opinion
@Dave Hammond: Not saying he isn’t worthy of it but with these PC laden shows they like the winner to keep it simple and thank God and their mother. However he might pull a Marlon Brando and send Greta Thunberg to accept the award.
@Dave Hammond: they reckon Mikey Rourke ruined his chances of an Oscar after his acceptance speech at either the Baftas or Golden Globes, can’t remember which
@Bass demon: Give him a script and he can make you believe anything. When he’s not acting he can’t string a sentence together.
Always the bridesmaid unfortunately. Not her fault….great actor
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Don’t worry. She’ll get a Lifetime Achievement Oscar by the time she’s 35.
Fantastic to see 4 nods for Parasite – Bong Joon Ho is one of the greatest directors in the world in the last 15 years!
Great….not… saw her in an interview a few years ago… patronizing and annoying…
No nomination for De Niro?
@Cowboy Paddy: For what? Pesci can act DeNiro into a banbox.
@Cowboy Paddy: Thought Pacino stoke the show tbh, de Niro was de Niro and Pesci just stumbled thru it, have to say Joker 9 nominations!!! Thought it was a pile of shite…most left cinema with me said it was crap.
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