Courses

The College of Arts, Humanities and Celtic Studies offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Drama and Theatre. These include:

Partners

Galway International Arts Festival

NUI Galway is an Official Leadership Partner with the Galway International Arts Festival. NUI Galway has partered with the Galway International Arts Festival on the SELECTED Programme, a two-week initiative that allows participants from NUI Galway's MA in Drama and Theatre Studies to immerse themselves in all aspects of the festival. Each year students on the SELECTED programme experience the festival first-hand by working with the GIAF production team on selected productions.

Abbey Theatre

Did you know that our Abbey Theatre archive project is the world’s largest ever theatre digitisation project? The archive contains over 1.8 million items covering 130 years of Irish theatre history.

Decadent Theatre Company

Each year, our third year BA Connect in Theatre and Performance students stage a production of a new international play as part of the Cúirt festival, directed by Andrew Flynn of Decadent Theatre company.

Druid Theatre

Through a unique partnership called the Druid Academy, our students have the opportunity to work alongside members of the Druid Theatre Company, enjoying regular workshops and master classes in theatre production, and accessing Druid's performance space. As part of the ten-year partnership, Dr Garry Hynes has taken up the role of Adjunct Professor, while Thomas Conway is Druid Director-in-Residence in the University.

Galway Fringe Festival

This annual fringe festival includes productions by NUI Galway societies, with several performances in the festival held in venues on campus.

Lyric Theatre/O'Malley Collection

NUI Galway holds the Lyric Theatre's extensive archive, covering over 50 years of this landmark in Irish theatre.

An Taibhdhearc

Caomhnaítear cartlann de Thaibhdhearc na Gaillimhe i Leabharlann Shéamais Uí Argadáin, le bailiúchán cuimsitheach ó bhreis is 65 bliain de léiriúcháin. Bhí nasc láidir idir an amharclann agus an Ollscoil ó thús, agus déantar ceiliúradh ar an stair sin sa chartlann.

The archive of An Taibhdhearc is held in the James Hardiman Library, with a comprehensive collection from over 65 years of productions. The University has had a strong link with the theatre from its beginning, and the archive celebrates this legacy.

Other notable archives in the University include:
  • Huston Family archive
  • Thomas Kilroy archive
  • Siobhán McKenna archive
  • Shields Family archive
  • View more information on our theatre archives here.

Projects

Theatre Week

NUI Galway proudly hosts this unique series of original plays written, performed and directed by our students. The student playwrights are mentored by professionals in the run-up to the festival, and the final scripts are performed on campus in front of judges. The festival culminates in the Jerome Hynes Award for best production, which is presented by a member of the Hynes family.

Venues & Facilities

O'Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance

This black box auditorium seats up to 120, with a fully equipped lighting rig. Find out more about the facilities

Bank of Ireland Theatre

This 70-seat fully-equipped black box theatre is open all year round, and houses productions by DramSoc, theatre students and visiting dance and theatre companies.

CUBE theatre

This multi-purpose space hosts dance, performance and music events throughout the year. The space can hold up to 150 spectators.

Societies

Comedy Soc

A society for the University's budding comedians and students who simply like to laugh.

Dance Society (DanSoc)

DanSoc is aimed at students who want to dance and perform. Students can learn new dance skills through a range of classes, including hip hop, Irish dancing and Zumba.

DramSoc

The aim of DramSoc is to bring people together who have any interest in theatre, whether that be acting, directing, stage managing, costuming, dramaturgy, props, set building, front of house, or simply watching entertaining shows. The society runs a number of workshops, auditions and productions on campus throughout the year, contributing to the University's Múscailt festival, Theatre Week, and the Galway Fringe Festival, among others.

GUMS

One of the most vibrant societies on campus, the Galway University Musical Society (GUMS) stage high-quality productions of some of the world's favourite musicals, and also discover some hidden gems along the way.