Happy Birthday, Thomas Kilroy! The playwright and novelist celebrates his 80th birthday today. Born in Kilkenny on 23 September 1934 Kilroy was play editor at the Abbey Theatre in 1977 and his own works have been performed on the Abbey stage from the 1970s onwards.
RTÉ Archives marks Kilroy's connection with the Abbey as part of our monthly look at the theatre to coincide with its 110 moments project. Kilroy's play 'Tea and Sex and Shakespeare' was premiered at the Abbey in 1976 as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.
In this extract from 'Last House', 29 September 1976, Brendan Smith, director of the festival, explains how it had been agreed policy with the Abbey in recent years that they present a new play by an Irish playwright in the second week of the festival. Kilroy talks about the play itself, which is directed by Max Stafford-Clark, seen here in rehearsal with actors Donal McCann and Kevin McHugh.
This year's Dublin Theatre Festival runs from 25 September to 12 October 2014.
