Anne aims to create new energy at An Taibhdhearc

Playwright Tom Murphy was named as the new patron of An Taibhdhearc at an event on Monday evening to launch the Irish-language theatre’s programme of events for 2014.

This is the first programme from An Taibhdhearc’s new Artistic Director Anne McCabe, who comes to the job with a serious track record. She worked in RTÉ before becoming commissioning editor with TG4 in 1994, with responsibility for drama and documentary. In that role, she commissioned Gabriel Byrne to write the station’s opening night drama, Draoícht, in which he also starred. She also established the hit drama series Ros Na Run for TG4. 
In recent years Anne has worked as a freelance writer/director, writing the screenplay for TV3’s Jack Taylor, from Ken Bruen’s novel, and recently directing the contemporary Irish drama series, Deception for TV3.
Last summer she directed Tom Murphy’s An Tíoránach Drogallach (The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant) by Tom Murphy at An Taibhdhearc for Galway Arts Festival.
“We’ve put together a very diverse programme of events for the next six months, which is a combination of drama in Irish which is our prime remit,” explained Anne at Monday’s night’s programme launch. “Our main mission is to produce excellence in Irish drama but in order to support this place and make that happen we have to have a range of English-language productions which come in and rent the place because it’s a fantastic facility.”