Abbey Theatre celebrates centenary

Ireland's National Theatre celebrates 100 years in existence today.

The Abbey Theatre came to life on December 27, 1904.

Street performers, children's story tellers and a special performance of the play "Sound of the Gong" will mark the centenary today.

A party for all the family has been promised today at the theatre on Abbey Street in Dublin.

Set up by Home Rule sympathisers before the birth of modern Ireland, the Abbey's Ali Curran talked about the theatre’s rich history.

She said that when it was set up it was quite a radical institution and it has continued that radical approach right up to the current day with the production of plays that have audiences second-guessing themselves and questioning what Irish culture means to us.