The Irish Literary Theatre in Dublin produced its first play.

The Irish Literary Theatre, founded in 1899 in Dublin, was a pivotal initiative in the Irish Literary Revival, aiming to create a national theatre that would reflect Irish identity through serious drama. Spearheaded by W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn, and later George Moore, the theatre was envisioned as a platform for plays rooted in Irish themes, myths, and language, rather than the popular melodramas of the time. Its first production, The Countess Cathleen by Yeats, stirred both praise and controversy, setting the tone for a bold cultural movement. Although the original Irish Literary Theatre only operated until 1901 due to financial and organizational struggles, it laid the groundwork for the Abbey Theatre, which became Ireland’s national theatre in 1904. This short-lived but influential venture helped crystallize the idea of theatre as a cultural and political tool during a period of growing Irish nationalism.