Jen Coppinger: From a Bantry cattle-dealing family to the Abbey Theatre
Jen Coppinger is head of producing at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Picture: Ste Murray
Growing up in Bantry, Jen Coppinger was surrounded by the art of storytelling. The West Cork native was the youngest of seven children and her father, Mickie Coppinger, was a well-known cattle dealer. While her hometown didn’t have much in terms of theatre – or even a cinema – when she was a teenager, Coppinger recognises the influence her upbringing had on her love for stories and ultimately, what she does now.
“He loved his job very much. Just like I love my job,” the head of producing at the Abbey Theatre says of her late father. “A lot of his job was about having personal relationships with people, and he loved talking to people and meeting people.
