Irish Literary Theatre

The Irish Literary Theatre was a short-lived theatrical project that existed from 1899 to 1901. Its purpose was to establish a national stage for Irish plays performed by Irish performers to amplify the Irish cultural identity (apart from Great Britain) and encourage authors to write works of serious depth. It was founded by W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, George Moore and Edward Martyn as part of the Irish Literary Revival and it was centered in Dublin.

Productions included The Countess Cathleen, The Heather Field, Maeve, The Last Feast of Fianna and The Bending of the Bough.

Although it crumbled due to monetary instability, it laid the groundwork for what would become the Abbey Theatre.