Druid Theatre Company

Happy Christmas from all the Druids!🎄 Thank you to so many people and organisations who supported us in 2024... ❤️ our audiences, first and foremost (all 33,000 of you who bought a ticket!) ❤️ our actors, creative teams and production teams ❤️ our partner venues and festivals ❤️ our Irish and international theatre industry colleagues, especially all our neighbours here in Galway ❤️ our funders, sponsors and friends including The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Smurfit Westrock, University of Galway and Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council See you very soon in 2025 – rehearsals start in January for our spring tour of Three Short Comedies by Seán O'Casey 👋 Image: Bosco Hogan and Marie Mullen in Endgame by Samuel Beckett, photo by Ros Kavanagh

Did you know that back in the 1970s we were briefly in the pantomime business? Our first (and only) panto, Aladineen O’Druideen, ran through December 1977 at the Fo’Castle on Dominick Street here in Galway. It was part of our lunchtime theatre programme and tickets were 75p including a sandwich lunch, 50p if you already had your lunch, and 25p for children! Photo: Marie Mullen and Seán McGinley

✨ New Tour Alert ✨ Next spring, we're hitting the road once more for an 11-venue national tour of Three Short Comedies by Seán O'Casey! ‘wildly entertaining’ The Irish Times ‘brilliant comic timing’ The Guardian 'serious slapstick with lashings of laughter' The Arts Review These short tales of misadventure will be directed by Garry Hynes and performed by a cast of six including Druid ensemble members Marie Mullen, Rory Nolan and Marty Rea, alongside Venetia Bowe, Caitríona Ennis and Liam Heslin. This new tour of these classic rip-roaring one-acts continues our celebration of the work of Seán O'Casey, following a previous tour of Three Short Comedies in 2021, the blockbuster DruidO'Casey in 2023, and a tour of The Shadow of a Gunman in 2024. Since 1975, we have been criss-crossing the country to bring world-class theatre to audiences in their own communities. This upcoming national tour marks the beginning of our 50th anniversary programme in 2025. We’ll be visiting 11 cities and towns around Ireland next February and March: Roscommon, Ennis, Tralee, Limerick, Kilkenny, Wexford, Longford, Belfast, Dún Laoghaire, Cork and Galway. Tickets are on sale now: https://bit.ly/4f8D9g7 Photo: Ste Murray Design: Gareth Jones

We're delighted to announce the appointment of Adrian O'Neill, former Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom, as the new Chair of Druid's Board of Directors. Adrian retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs in late 2022. Prior to his role as Irish Ambassador in London (2017-2022), he occupied a number of other high-level positions including Second Secretary General at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Secretary General to the President of Ireland, serving both President Higgins and former President McAleese. Adrian’s appointment happens at a time of great success for Druid which yesterday concluded a critically acclaimed run of Tom Murphy’s The House in Galway and Dublin, as well as a Galway run of Samuel Beckett’s Endgame earlier this year. The company is now preparing for an ambitious programme of work in 2025, in which it celebrates the 50th anniversary of its establishment. Adrian O’Neill, the new Chair of Druid’s Board of Directors: “I am honoured to accept the role of Chair of Druid’s Board of Directors. I have long admired Druid and the excellent work they do both at home and abroad. Their contribution as cultural ambassadors for Ireland over many years has been of major significance. As the company enters its 50th year, I look forward to working with my fellow Board members.” Garry Hynes, Druid’s Artistic Director: “I’m delighted to welcome Adrian O’Neill as the new Chair of our Board. Adrian brings with him decades of experience of public service on national and international stages. I look forward to working with him and the rest of the Board as we enter our 50th year. I also wish to pay tribute to Tom Joyce, our former Chair who held the position for the past five years, as well as Board member Caroline Loughnane who served as interim Chair in recent months.” You can read more about this appointment on our website: https://lnkd.in/g7wTa-VH Image: Druid Lane by Colm Hogan

It's the final weekend of The House 🏡 There are three more chances to come see us - Saturday at 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Sunday at 2.30pm: https://bit.ly/4aYnwF9 We've had such a special time over the past few months working once again with the words of the late Tom Murphy, our dear friend and long-time collaborator. Huge thanks to so many people who helped make this production happen: our cast, creative team and production team; our hosts the Town Hall Theatre in Galway, The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin and Dublin Theatre Festival; our funders, sponsors and friends including The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Smurfit Westrock, University of Galway and Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council; and most importantly the thousands of audience members who came to see us over the past few weeks in Galway and Dublin. Stay tuned, we'll be announcing our next production soon! Photo by Ros Kavanagh.

Good evening Dublin! Tonight's our first performance of Tom Murphy's The House at Dublin Theatre Festival. We can't wait to welcome you to the wonderful The Gaiety Theatre - we're here for 12 performances only, The House must close Sunday 6 October! Tickets: https://bit.ly/4aYnwF9

Thank you Galway, next stop Dublin! We're moving house, so to speak 😉 Following a sold-out run in Galway, Tom Murphy's The House now transfers to The Gaiety Theatre for 12 performances only as part of Dublin Theatre Festival Thu 26 Sep – Sun 6 Oct Tickets: https://bit.ly/4aYnwF9 Photo: Declan Colohan

Opening Night 🥳 This Wednesday, we opened The House in Galway - our first time opening a Tom Murphy production on the stage of the Town Hall Theatre Galway in ten years, following the double-bill of Brigit and Bailegangaire in 2014. Our run in Galway continues this weekend, tickets are sold out but you might get lucky with returns! Next week we transfer to Dublin for 12 performances at The Gaiety Theatre as part of Dublin Theatre Festival. You can book for Dublin here: https://bit.ly/4aYnwF9 Photos by Declan Colohan

Here's your first look at The House by Tom Murphy 🏡 We open the show here at home in Galway tomorrow night and then transfer to Dublin next week We're sold out in Galway (thank you!) but there are still tickets available for Dublin: https://bit.ly/4aYnwF9 THE HOUSE by Tom Murphy - GALWAY 14 – 21 Sep Town Hall Theatre - DUBLIN 26 Sep – 6 Oct Dublin Theatre Festival at The Gaiety Theatre Photos by Ros Kavanagh

Hello from Galway 👋 It's Week 4 of rehearsals for The House by Tom Murphy. Not long left before previews begin next weekend! The House by Tom Murphy GALWAY 14 – 21 Sep Town Hall Theatre (low ticket warning) DUBLIN 26 Sep – 6 Oct Dublin Theatre Festival at The Gaiety Theatre Tickets: https://bit.ly/4aYnwF9 Photo: Declan Colohan