Founded in 1904 by W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory, the Abbey Theatre would go on to be Ireland's most well known and well respected theatres. The aims of Yeats and Gregory when opening the theatre were to invest in and promote new Irish writers and artists, and to engage a broad range of customers and provide them with compelling experiences that would get them interested in the arts.

In 1925, the theatre received a major boost when it was given an annual subsidy by the then new Free State, becoming the first ever state subsidised theatre in the English speaking world.

Through the years, the Abbey theatre has seen some of Ireland's great litarary and acting greats pass through its doors, including William Butler Yeats, Augusta, Lady Gregory, Sean O'Casey and John Millington Synge.

In 1951 however, the original buildings of the Abbey Theatre were damaged by a fire, with the doors to the theatre remaining closed for 15 years after.

This documentary takes a look at the Abbey Theatre, and the importance of its role in Irish society. It was first broadcast on the 18th of July 1966 - the day that the new Abbey Theatre opened its doors to the public, and also 15 years to the day that the old Abbey Theatre closed its doors due to the fire.

First broadcast 18th July 1966

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries.