The Abbey Theatre is Ireland's National Theatre. The Abbey Theatre, founded by W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory, first opened its doors in 1904 to ‘bring upon the stage the deeper thoughts and emotions of Ireland’. Since then, it has played a vital and often controversial role in the literary, social and cultural life and landscape of Ireland. The Abbey’s reputation for presenting world-class productions has made it an ambassador for Irish arts and culture at home and abroad.