Our Irish Theatre: A chapter of autobiography

A warm, conversational memoir opens with a grandmother’s voice recalling garden mornings, sweet‑pea breezes, and the restless curiosity of a young grandson. From those simple domestic scenes the narrative expands to the bustling artistic circles of late‑19th‑century London, where the author meets W. B. Yeats and witnesses the birth of a new, romantic drama movement. Interwoven with vivid travel sketches—from a coastal summer at Count de Basterot’s garden to lively tea‑room discussions—the first chapter paints the restless energy that would drive a national theatrical experiment.

The second part follows the fledgling company’s early rehearsals, the challenges of finding a home for Irish voices, and the camaraderie among playwrights, actors, and patrons determined to carve a cultural space of their own. It captures the optimism, the occasional setbacks, and the fierce belief that theatre could become a living record of Ireland’s stories, all told with the gentle humor and honest reflection that mark a true autobiographical chronicle.