Damer Hall, also known as Damer Theatre ( ga, Amharclann an Damer) and An Damer, is a former theatre and former school located in the basement of the Dublin Unitarian Church at 112

St Stephen's Green St Stephen's Green () is a garden square and public park located in the city centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current landscape of the park was designed by William Sheppard. It was officially re-opened to the public on Tuesday, 27 July 1880 by L ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

.Unitarian Church, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, DUBLIN
''National Inventory of Architectural Heritage''. Accessed: 4 August 2021.

Building history

From ca. 1718 (or possibly 1725), Damer Hall served as Damer School, a

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

for Unitarian and Jewish children. It was funded by the Damer Endowment, a trust bequeathed by wealthy landowner Joseph Damer, great-uncle to

Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester (12 March 1718 – 12 January 1798) was a country landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1741 to 1762 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Milton. He was particularly associated w ...

. The school had 3 classrooms and up to 150 pupils. The current building dates from 1863. In a 1905 report, the school was assessed by Sir Charles Alexander Cameron, Professor of Hygiene at the

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 ...

, and rated positively. The school closed in June 1954.The Building
Dublin Unitarian Church. Accessed: 4 August 2021. In 1955, the space was leased to

Gael Linn Gael Linn (, "Gael-with-us") is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation focused on the promotion of the Irish language and the arts. The organisation's funding includes government and lottery sources. History Gael Linn was founded in Ma ...

who founded the Irish-language Damer Theatre, staging amateur productions. The theatre was described as small, cold and poorly lit but praised for its unique atmosphere. In 1969,

Breandán Ó hEithir Breandán Ó hEithir (18 January 1930 – 26 October 1990) was an Irish writer and broadcaster.Raidió Teilifís Éireann Raidi (; ; also written Ragdi; born August, 1938) is a Tibetan politician of the People's Republic of China. He served as a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress from 2003 to 2008, and the highest ranking Tibeta ...

's ''Féach'' that the Damer had joined with the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

to form ''An Club Drámaíochta'' (Drama Club) to produce and promote plays in Irish.Irish Language Theatre 1969
RTE Archives. Accessed: 4 August 2021. Gael Linn withdrew from the project in 1976 but in 1978 it was re-formed as a professional theatre company. The theatre's closure in 1981 was described as the end of the

Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during ...

of Irish-language theatre. The space continued to be used sporadically for short productions and events such as the

Dublin Theatre Festival The Dublin Theatre Festival is Europe's oldest specialised theatre festival. It was founded by theatre impresario Brendan Smith in 1957 and has, with the exception of two years, produced a season of international and Irish theatre each autumn. ...

. It is in regular use by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.McCarrick, Jaki (30 November 2018)
Theatre
''

Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

''. Accessed: 4 August 2021.

Theatre productions

Brendan Behan Brendan Francis Aidan Behan (christened Francis Behan) ( ; ga, Breandán Ó Beacháin; 9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican activist who wrote in both English an ...

's play '' An Giall (The Hostage)'' premiered at the Damer in 1958. ''An Geocach Duine Uasail'', Máire Ní Shíthe's translation of Moliere's ''Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'', was also performed in Damer Hall in 1958 following its premiere at the

Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a Theater (structure), theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Ge ...

Seán Ó Riada Seán Ó Riada (; born John Reidy; 1 August 1931 – 3 October 1971), was an Irish composer and arranger of Irish traditional music. Through his incorporation of modern and traditional techniques he became the single most influential figur ...

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

''Spailpín a Rúin'' had its first performance there on 15 September 1960.

Séamus Ó Néill Séamus Ó Néill, (died 1981), was an Irish writer from Clarkhill, Castlewellan, County Down, Ireland. Following a primary degree from Queen's University, Belfast, he did historical research under Eoin MacNeill at University College, Dublin ...

's play ''Rún an Oileáin'' (The Secret of the Island) ran from 5 to 10 June 1961. In May 1962, the theatre held its first review, ''Damertásibh'', featuring work by

Micheál Mac Liammóir Micheál Mac Liammóir (born Alfred Willmore; 25 October 1899 – 6 March 1978) was an actor, designer, dramatist, writer and impresario in 20th-century Ireland. Though born in London to an English family with no Irish connections, he emigrated ...

Niall Tóibín Niall Tóibín (; 21 November 1929 – 13 November 2019) was an Irish comedian and actor. Born in Cork into an Irish speaking family, Tóibín grew up on the north-side of the city in Bishop's Field. He appeared in ''Ryan's Daughter'', ''Brides ...

, Eoghan O Tuairisc,

Tómas Mac Anna Tomás Mac Anna (born Thomas Francis McCann; 5 March 1924 – 17 May 2011) was an Irish theatre director and playwright. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 1970 for ''Borstal Boy''. Born in Dundalk, he was educate ...

and

Sean O Riada Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angli ...

, with performances by

Aine Ni Mhuiri Áine Ní Mhuirí (born Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish actress. She began her career at the Damer Theatre, later working in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Áine is a fluent Irish language speaker. Career In 1975, she appeared in a play ...

, among others.

Dónall Farmer Dónall Farmer (born Daniel Patrick Farmer; 24 November 1937 – 6 December 2018) was an Irish television film director, producer, RTÉ Head of Drama (succeeding Chloe Gibson) and actor who performed on stage and in film and television producti ...

served as a director for a time.

Máiréad Ní Ghráda Máiréad Ní Ghráda (23 December 1896 – 13 June 1971) was an Irish poet, playwright, and Radio personality, broadcaster born in Kilmaley, County Clare. Biography Ní Ghráda's mother was Bridget Ní Ghrianna while her father, Tony Kelly ...

's play ''An Triail (The Trial)'' made its debut at the theatre in 1964.

Caitlín Maude Caitlín Maude (22 May 1941 – 6 June 1982) was an Irish poet, activist, teacher, actress and traditional singer. Early life She was born in Casla, County Galway, and reared in the Irish language. Her mother, Máire Nic an Iomaire, was a ...

was cast in the lead role of Máire in ''An Triail''. She was followed in the role by

Fionnula Flanagan Fionnghuala Manon "Fionnula" Flanagan (born 10 December 1941) is an Irish stage, television, and film actress. For her contributions to the entertainment industry, she was given the IFTA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. Flanagan is known f ...

in her acting debut. The first stage version of

Flann O'Brien Brian O'Nolan ( ga, Brian Ó Nualláin; 5 October 1911 – 1 April 1966), better known by his pen name Flann O'Brien, was an Irish civil service official, novelist, playwright and satirist, who is now considered a major figure in twentieth cen ...

's ''

An Béal Bocht (The Poor Mouth) is a 1941 novel in Irish by Brian O'Nolan ( Flann O'Brien), published under the pseudonym "Myles na gCopaleen". It is widely regarded as one of the greatest Irish-language novels of the 20th century. An English translation by ...

'' took place in the Damer on 31 January 1967, performed by the

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

Cumann Gaelach. Seán Ó Tuama's drama ''Gunna Cam agus Slabhra Óir'' was performed at the Damer for the 1968

. In 1982, Anne Le Marquand Hartigan's play ''Beds'' premiered at the theatre. The

Frank McGuinness Professor Frank McGuinness (born 1953) is an Irish writer. As well as his own plays, which include '' The Factory Girls'', ''Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme'', ''Someone Who'll Watch Over Me'' and ''Dolly West's Kitchen'', ...

two-hander A two-hander is a term for a play, film, or television programme with only two main characters. The two characters in question often display differences in social standing or experiences, differences that are explored and possibly overcome as ...

play ''Ladybag'', starring

Maureen Toal Maureen Toal (7 September 1930 – 24 August 2012) was an Irish stage and television actress whose professional career lasted for more than sixty years. She was born in 1930 and was originally from Fairview, Dublin. Toal began performing at the ...

, was performed in the Damer for the 1985 Dublin Theatre Festival. In 1986,

Olwen Fouéré Olwen Fouéré (born March 2, 1954) is an Irish actress and writer/director in theatre, film and visual arts. She was born in Galway, Ireland to Breton parents Yann Fouéré and Marie-Magdeleine Mauger. In 2020, she was listed at number 22 on '' ...

starred in

Sebastian Barry Sebastian Barry (born 5 July 1955) is an Irish novelist, playwright and poet. He was named Laureate for Irish Fiction, 2019–2021. He is noted for his lyrical literary writing style and is considered one of Ireland's finest writers. Barry's l ...

's debut play, ''The Pentagonal Dream''.

References

{{reflist 1718 establishments in Ireland 1955 establishments in Ireland 1954 disestablishments in Ireland 1981 disestablishments in Ireland Buildings and structures in Dublin (city) Theatres in Dublin (city) St Stephen's Green Defunct schools in the Republic of Ireland Dawson-Damer family Former theatres