The Irish Film Archive’s extensive ?lm holdings include a wealth of material relating to the Abbey Theatre. Coinciding with the Abbey’s centenary, this special programme will include newsreel footage of key moments in the theatre’s history, an illustrated lecture examining the Abbey on ?lm, Paul Rotha’s fascinating 1958 documentary tribute to the old Abbey (Cradle of Genius), and the 1959 Emmet Dalton adaptation of Hugh Leonard’s The Big Birthday. The session will conclude with a panel discussion in which the Abbey’s contribution to Irish cinema history will be explored. Speakers will include Kasandra O’Connell (Irish Film Archive), Leilia Doolan, John Devitt (Mater Dei Institute), John Lynch (writer and director of the documentary The Abbey Theatre—The First 100 Years) and Alicia McGivern (IFI Education).