Druid’s Artistic Director Garry Hynes won the Best Director award at the 2023 UK Theatre Awards on Sunday for the company’s production of Sean O’Casey’s Dublin Trilogy.

This production, which incorporated The Plough and The Stars, The Shadow of a Gunman and Juno and the Paycock, premiered in Galway in July at the Arts Festival. It was eligible for the UK awards because it subsequently played in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre, in August.

The company is now in America with the production, playing NYU Skirball in New York City (in partnership with the Public Theater) and University Musical Society in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Garry Hynes, who is currently in new York, described herself as “honoured” to receive the award. She thanked “UK Theatre for recognising not only my work but the work of a legion of people who brought DruidO’Casey to life this year”.  She also thanked the company’s funders and supporters, including its core funder, The Arts Council; its partner for this production, Smurfit Kappa; and Culture Ireland, which has supported its US tour.

Druid’s production of O’Casey’s Dublin Trilogy, which also toured to the Abbey Theatre here in Ireland, broke box office records in Galway, Belfast and Dublin and received an array of five-star reviews.

The UK Theatre Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in theatre across the UK.

Pictured: Druid’s Artistic Director Garry Hynes