The Gaiety School of Acting – The National Theatre School of Ireland is a Not for Profit organisation founded in 1986 by the internationally renowned theatre director Joe Dowling, in response to the lack of full time actor training programmes in Ireland at that time. The school is now widely regarded as the country’s premier training facility for actors.

Their policy is to train actors for theatre, film and television. The school offers a two-year intensive acting programme and an extensive selection of part-time and tailored cTheirses for adults, teenagers, children and overseas students.The school has been providing professional actor training for almost 30 years and include Colin Farrell, Olivia Wilde, Colin O’Donoghue, Aidan Turner (Best Male Newcomer, Jameson Empire Awards 2014), Eva Birthistle (Best Actress Lead Television Award, IFTA 2014) Charlie Murphy (Best Actress, The Irish Times Awards 2013) and Sarah Greene (Tony Award Nominee 2014) as alumni of distinction.