Coole Park Galway: Lady Gregory and the Celtic Literary Revival

Coole Park, home of Augusta, Lady Gregory, folklorist, dramatist, co-founder of the Abbey Theatre and catalyst for the Irish Literary Revival. As an Irish speaker and accomplished translator, playwright, and keeper of journals, Lady Gregory’s linguistic and literary ability was key to resurgence of the west of Ireland culture, with her home providing space and support for the nation’s literary and artistic giants (including Douglas Hyde, George Bernard Shaw, Sean O’Casey, Jack B. Yeats, and John Millington Synge) to create and respond to the tumultuous social and political events of the times.

The central role of Lady Gregory in the theatrical, poetic and cultural life of the period is made visible in the Autograph Tree at Coole Park where these writers and artists carved their initials, marking Coole Park as the pivotal hub of the Irish Literary Revival and rooting it in native culture. Coole’s existing nature reserve, with lake, woods, and trees made famous by the poetry of Yeats, showcases a living literary landscape, and includes a museum with audio-visual exhibits for adults and children.