Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe facts for kids

Inside An Taibhdhearc, Ireland's Irish language theatre.

The outside of An Taibhdhearc theatre in Galway.

An Taibhdhearc is Ireland's national theatre for the Irish language. It first opened its doors in 1928. It is a special place where plays, music, and sometimes films are shown, all in Irish.

The name Taibhdhearc comes from an old Irish word for "theatre." It means something like "dream" or "glance." Today, the more common Irish word for a theatre is amharclann.

An Taibhdhearc is located at 19 Middle Street in the historic city of Galway. It was built on the old ruins of an Augustinian friary, which was a type of monastery. You can even see parts of the old friary walls, including some carved stone windows, in the theatre's back wall!

A Home for Irish Arts

This theatre is a busy spot for arts and culture. It hosts many different shows, from exciting plays to musical performances. Sometimes, it even screens international films. One of the busiest times for An Taibhdhearc is during the annual Galway International Arts Festival. This festival brings lots of art and performances to Galway every year.

Reopening After a Fire

In 2007, An Taibhdhearc had to close for a while. There was a fire that caused a lot of smoke damage. The theatre needed a lot of work to be fixed up and made new again.

While the building was closed, the theatre group didn't stop! They kept putting on shows in other places around Galway city and county. This meant that people could still enjoy Irish language performances.

An Taibhdhearc finally reopened in September 2012. The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, came to a special event to celebrate its reopening. It was a big moment for the theatre and for the Irish language arts.

See also

In Spanish: Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe para niños

• Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair
• Gaeltacht
• Údarás na Gaeltachta