In 2004 the Abbey Theatre celebrates one hundred years of existence as
Ireland's National Theatre. Amongst the founders of The Irish National Theatre
in 1903 were W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. With patronage from Miss Annie
Horniman, a premises was purchased on Old Abbey Street and on December 27th
1904, the Abbey Theatre opened its doors for the first time.
In 1924 the Abbey was given a grant of £850 by the Free State Government through
the then Minister for Finance, Ernest Blythe, which made it the first
state-subsidized Theatre in the English speaking world. The Abbey Theatre was
gutted by fire in 1951 and the company was housed at the Queens Theatre until
1966, when it moved to its present building in Lower Abbey Street. Among
dramatists whose works the Abbey Theatre first presented are Padraic Colum,
Lennox Robinson, Sean O'Casey, and Paul Vincent Carroll. The Abbey Theatre has
been an important instrument in the revival of Irish drama that began in the
1960s.
To celebrate this historic event in the world of Irish Theatre, An Post issued a
single stamp denominated at 48c.
Date of Issue 27 February 2004
Stamp Design Zeus Creative
Stamp Size 40.64mm x 29.8mm
Multicolour with phosphor tagging
Perforations 14 x 15
Printing Process Lithography
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