Smock Alley was built in 1662 as part of the official restoration of the British monarchy and the return of King Charles II to the throne. It was the first custom-built theatre in Dublin and was the first theatre outside Britain to carry the name “Theatre Royal”. In its early years, the theatre suffered many structural problems, largely related to the fact that it was built on land reclaimed from the River Liffey. The gallery collapsed twice and the theatre had to be rebuilt in 1735. In the mid-1740s, Thomas Sheridan, godson of Jonathan Swift and father of the celebrated dramatist Richard Brinsley Sheridan, took … Continue reading In Smock Alley, Dublin Theatre’s New Lease on Life