David Ireland (playwright)

For other people with the same name, see David Ireland.

David Ireland (born 1976) is a Northern Irish-born playwright and actor, known for his award-winning plays Cyprus Avenue and Ulster American.

Early life and education

Ireland was born in Sandy Row, Belfast, but grew up in Ballybeen, Dundonald, County Down. His father was a heavy drinker.^[1]

Ireland attended Brooklands Primary School. He then attended the Royal Belfast Academical Institution,^[2] before receiving training at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.^[3]

Career

In 2009, Ireland's What The Animals Say was produced by Òran Mór in Glasgow.^[4] In 2010, Everything Between Us, first produced by Solas Nua and Tinderbox Theatre Company, was performed in Belfast, Scotland, and Washington, D.C. It won the Stewart Parker Trust BBC Radio Drama Award,^[5] and the Meyer-Whitworth Award for Best New Play.^[6]

In 2016, Ireland's Cyprus Avenue premiered at the Royal Court Theatre.^[7] It was awarded the 2017 Irish Times Theatre Award for Best New Play, and the 2017 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Drama. The play then transferred to The Public Theater, New York City,^[8] the Abbey Theatre, Dublin,^[9] and the Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast. It returned to the Royal Court in February 2019 for a four-week run,^[10] and had its Australian debut in May 2019 at Sydney's Old Fitzroy Theatre.^[11] The Abbey Theatre performance with Stephen Rea was ranked by The Guardian writers as the 27th best theatre show since 2000.^[12]

In 2018, Ireland's satirical dark comedy Ulster American was performed by Traverse Theatre as part of their Edinburgh Festival Fringe season.^[13] It was awarded the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award for that year.^[14] In 2019, it was nominated for Best Female Performance, Best New Play, Best Production, and Best Male Performance at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland,^[15] winning the first three.^[16] It had its London debut at Riverside Studios in 2023 in a production starring Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland.^[17]

Ireland had played the role of the character Claire’s father in 2018's Derry Girls.^[18] He wrote the upcoming 2023 Sky Atlantic series The Lovers.^[19]

Personal life

Ireland met his wife Jennifer while he was acting in Glasgow, where they now live with their children Ada and Elijah.^[2]

Selected works

• What The Animals Say (Òran Mór, Glasgow, 2009)
• Everything Between Us (Tinderbox Theatre Company, 2010)
• Summertime (Tinderbox Theatre Company, 2013)
• Can't Forget About You (Lyric Theatre, Belfast, 2013)
• Cyprus Avenue (Royal Court Theatre, 2016)
• The End of Hope (Soho Theatre, 2017)
• Ulster American (Traverse Theatre, 2018)
• Yes So I Said Yes (Finborough Theatre, 2021)

Selected awards

• 2017 Irish Times Theatre Award for Best New Play – Cyprus Avenue
• 2017 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Drama – Cyprus Avenue
• 2018 Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award – Ulster American
• 2019 Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland for Best Female Performance, Best New Play, and Best Production – Ulster American

Selected filmography

• Shetland (2 episodes, 2014). As Finlay Caulfield - S2 Eps. 5 & 6
• Still Game (1 episode, 2016)
• Derry Girls (3 episodes, 2018-2022)