A Message from President Michael D. Higgins
3 July 2025
President Higgins and the company of DruidO'Casey on stage at the Abbey Theatre in 2023; photo by Ste Murray.
A message from President Michael D. Higgins on the occasion of Druid's 50th anniversary
Uachtarán na hÉireann
President of Ireland
Mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, is cúis áthais dom mo dhea-mhéin a chur do chách ag Compántas drámaíochta Druid agus sibh ag comóradh an ócáid shuntasach de 50 bliain d’éachtaí suntasacha don saol ealaíonta agus cultúrtha in Éirinn agus níos faide i gcéin.
May I extend my warmest congratulations to all at Druid Theatre Company as you mark this significant milestone of 50 years of extraordinary contributions to the artistic and cultural life of Ireland and beyond.
Druid began as a bold idea. There were very few resources with which to build a theatre company in the West of Ireland in 1975, but through a pioneering vision forged by Garry Hynes, Marie Mullen, and the late Mick Lally, and with the support of the Galway community, that idea blossomed into a vibrant institution. The inaugural staging of The Playboy of the Western World in Salthill on 3 July 1975 marked the beginnings of a journey that would redefine Irish theatre on both national and international stages.
Over five decades Druid has since grown into an ensemble of international renown, a world-class theatre company bringing the richness of Irish storytelling to audiences across the globe while always remaining deeply connected to its home, the aptly named Mick Lally Theatre on Druid Lane.
Theatre, in all its forms, has long been a vital expression of our shared human experience. Druid has consistently demonstrated the transformative power of theatre through its many remarkable productions. The work of Druid has challenged, inspired, and entertained, ensuring that the voices of our greatest playwrights, from Synge to O’Casey and beyond, continue to resonate with contemporary audiences, to which Druid has also introduced outstanding and challenging new contemporary work.
From its early Galway City Council meagre grant in the 1970s to my present position as Patron of this wonderful organisation, my connection to Druid has been a long one. I am privileged to acknowledge the company’s immeasurable contributions to Irish theatre, to the artistic life of our nation, and indeed to the cultural heritage that defines us as a people. Sabina, too, has a long association with Druid, and fondly recalls her own stage appearances in Galway with the company.
Witnessing many of Druid’s outstanding productions over the years has been an unforgettable experience and a joy, most recently the powerful DruidO’Casey at the Abbey Theatre in September 2023.
What a masterful treatment and reimagining of Sean O’Casey’s work that trilogy was. It offered a testament not only to the enduring relevance of Sean O’Casey’s work, but also to Druid’s extraordinary capacity to find new depth and vitality in the texts. It was an experience that reaffirmed the essential role of theatre in our society, a mirror, a provocation, and, at its best, a call to action.
On this special anniversary, may I express my profound gratitude to all who have shaped Druid over the past five decades, past and present, to its founders, its creative teams, its actors, and its audiences.
May you continue to shine brightly in the decades ahead, carrying forward that wonderful spirit of innovation, excellence, and artistic courage that has defined Druid from its inception.
Comhgháirdeachas ó chroí do comhluador Druid is guidhim gach rath oraibh don todhchaí.
Beir beannacht.
Michael D. Higgins
Uachtarán na hÉireann
President of Ireland
