The Gaiety Theatre 1880s - 1930s
Published on 7th August 2012
Since opening its doors in 1871, the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin has been a cultural landmark. The oldest continuously operating theatre in Dublin, the Gaiety Theatre has provided entertainment to audiences for generations. As the name ‘gaiety’ suggests, the theatre originally specialized in comedy and opera; today the theatre offers entertainment of all forms. This gallery offers a peek into the Gaiety’s rich history, from the 1880s to the 1930s. For more information on The Gaiety Theatre, take a look at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre: The grand old lady of South King Street by Robert O’Byrne.
This gallery was researched and compiled by Megan Geske, undergraduate at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Communication Studies and Psychology major, class of 2013. Megan interned at the Dublin City Library and Archive as part of the EUSA internship program.
About the Dublin and Irish Collections
The Dublin and Irish Collections, housed in the Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street, are an important resource for local history studies. The Dublin Collection contains a wealth of rare and beautiful material spanning centuries of Dublin’s history. The Collection encompasses a wide range of material; from the first Dublin newspapers to hand-tinted maps, from 18th century manuscripts to early editions of the works of Jonathan Swift, from propaganda leaflets of the Civil War period to exquisite examples of the craft of Dublin bookbinders. Plus audio-visual material, photographs, prints, drawings, theatre programmes, playbills, posters, ballad sheets, political cartoons and other ephemera! Highlights of the Dublin and Irish Collections include a unique Yeats collection and the complete library of the historian John T. Gilbert.
View the Gaiety Theatre 1880s - 1930s Image Gallery.
Further Resources
Dublin City Libraries has a wide range of sources on the social, political, and cultural history of Dublin, some of which are available online and some through the Dublin City Libraries network.
The Reading Room, Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street holds a wealth of material on the history of Dublin, including books, pamphlets, journals, street directories, and almanacs.
The following online resources can be accessed free of charge at your local library. Ask library staff for information and assistance.
- DRI - Digital Repository of Ireland is a national digital repository for Ireland’s humanities, social sciences, and cultural heritage data. Here you will find select digital collections of Dublin City Library and Archive. Highlights of the collection include the Fáilte Ireland Photographic Collection, the Jacobs Biscuit Factory Photographic Archive, Wide Street Commission and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association Archive.
- Irish Times Digital Archive: This online archive service gives access to contemporary editions of the Irish Times from the mid-nineteenth century until the present.
- Irish Newspaper Archive: This online archive service gives access to contemporary editions of the Irish Independent and a range of other newspapers.
- The Ireland-JSTOR Collection: This online archive of academic articles can also be accessed free of charge at your local library.
For further reading, consult the Library Catalogue.