Playing Cathleen ni Houlihan

Unknown photographer

Augusta Gregory in the role of Cathleen ni Houlihan

March 21, 1919 

Courtesy of Colin Smythe

Gregory played the title role in Cathleen ni Houlihan for three nights at the Abbey in March 1919, when the actress originally cast for the part could not appear. At the first performance, she was “a little hoarse and felt miserable” but “got through all right,” and then grew in confidence in her remaining appearances. Two journalists came to the theater during rehearsal on March 21, 1919  and took this photograph of her on stage with Arthur Shields, who played the role of Michael Gillane, the young man Cathleen inspires to follow her and fight for Ireland. Shields had fought in the Easter Rising of 1916. A star actor at the Abbey, taking more than 300 roles until 1939, he subsequently enjoyed a distinguished film career in Hollywood.