Thomas Kilroy RIP

11 December 2023

In the summer of 2021, it was our great honour to perform Thomas Kilroy's The Seagull (after Chekhov) outdoors in the historic grounds of Coole Park, Lady Gregory's Galway home. Among other distinguished guests, including President Michael D. Higgins, we were delighted to welcome Thomas and his family to the opening night performance.

Having premiered at the Royal Court in London in 1981, Thomas described our 2021 production in a specially commissioned programme note as "...a bringing of the play home to the West of Ireland and Coole Park. Certainly I had this setting in my mind when I made this adaptation. Coole was one of the models for the house in the play".

You can read the full programme note here: Thomas Kilroy - Revisiting The Seagull.

"Tom was a great and long-time friend to Druid. When we wanted to formalise a relationship with Tom Murphy back in the 1980s, it was Tom Kilroy that stepped in and helped to make it happen. He was a true man of the theatre and we will miss him immeasurably. Our thoughts go out to Julie, to Hanna Mae, and to all his family."
- Garry Hynes, Druid's Artistic Director

Suaimhneas síoraí dá anam.

Image: Brian Friel and Thomas Kilroy pictured at the Chekhov House-Museum, Yalta, on a visit in 2008, courtesy of Anne Friel.