3Olympia Theatre
3Olympia Theatre is a historic 1,247-seat live entertainment venue in Dublin, Ireland, hosting concerts, comedy, theatre, and family shows. Operated by Olympia Productions Limited under Denis Desmond and Caroline Downey, with MCD Productions promoting ~90% of events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1879
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What 3Olympia Theatre does
3Olympia Theatre is a historic live entertainment venue operating in Dublin, Ireland since 1879 (originally as Dan Lowrey's Star of Erin Music Hall), legally held through Olympia Productions Limited and owned by Denis Desmond and Caroline Downey. The venue has a sellable capacity of approximately 1,247 seats in fully seated configurations and up to 1,600 for partially standing shows, hosting live music, comedy, theatre, and family programming. It is part of the Live Nation Entertainment network through the owners' promoter business MCD Productions, which books roughly 90% of shows, and is primary-sponsored by Three Ireland via an eight-year partnership announced in September 2021 that renamed the venue to its current 3Olympia branding.
The core product is the venue itself — a refurbished historic theatre (€4 million invested 2015-2016) with four bars, full technical production capability, and 1,247-1,600 capacity. The technology stack is standard theatre infrastructure; ticketing is delivered exclusively through Ticketmaster Ireland (online, mobile app, and in-venue box office), and Three+ provides presale access to Three Ireland subscribers. The venue is also a co-producer of family stage shows, including Bluey's Big Play with BBC Studios.
The business model is event-driven and channel-driven. Revenue streams include ticket sales (€23.50–€67.70 per ticket plus a €2 restoration levy), venue rental to promoters and event organizers, and bar concessions across four on-site bars. Pricing is unit-based with a €5 family discount available on selected family shows for groups of four or more on weekday performances. Direct GTM is limited to venue rental enquiries handled by a single venue booker; consumer marketing runs through the venue website, Instagram, Twitter, and an email newsletter, while Three+ and Ticketmaster distribution channels drive top-of-funnel demand.
3Olympia Theatre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 3Olympia Theatre
- Legal name
- Olympia Productions Limited
- Website
- https://3olympia.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1879
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 3Olympia Theatre is a historic 1,247-seat live entertainment venue in Dublin, Ireland, hosting concerts, comedy, theatre, and family shows. Operated by Olympia Productions Limited under Denis Desmond and Caroline Downey, with MCD Productions promoting ~90% of events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
3Olympia Theatre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Entertainment Venue
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Venue Food, Beverage & Hospitality Operations (Concessions, Catering, Premium Seating) (MPAGALAN), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)
Keywords
Where 3Olympia Theatre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
3Olympia Theatre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales processed through Ticketmaster. Prices range from €23.50 to €67.70 depending on event, with restoration levy of €2 (or €1.50) added to each ticket.
- Venue Rental: The theatre is available for hire to promoters and event organizers. Venue provides box office, theatre staff, bar facilities, and technical equipment. Contact venue booker Aoife McLaughlin for enquiries.
- Bar Concessions: Four bars operate within the venue: Maureen's Bar, The Portrait Bar, The Circle Bar, and The Upper Circle Bar. Revenue from alcohol sales and beverages during events.
- Restoration Levy: A €2 restoration levy is included in ticket prices to fund maintenance and enhancement of the theatre facilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard event tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group bookings |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bluey's Big Play family tickets |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
3Olympia Theatre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
3Olympia Theatre is a historic live entertainment venue in Dublin that hosts a wide range of events including concerts, comedy shows, theatre productions, family shows, and corporate functions. The venue operates with a flexible auditorium that can be configured in seated, standing, or mixed formats and provides on-site bar concessions. Tickets are sold primarily through Ticketmaster's online, app, group sales, and on-site box office channels.
Product overview
3Olympia Theatre is a single live entertainment venue operated by Olympia Productions Limited, offering in-person event hosting and ticket sales through Ticketmaster. The venue provides facilities for concerts, comedy shows, theatre productions, and family entertainment, with on-site bars and catering services. The company does not operate a multi-product software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Live Entertainment Events (concerts, comedy, theatre, family shows)
Quantifiable outcome
- €4 million invested in venue refurbishment between 2015-2016
Companies that use 3Olympia Theatre
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
3Olympia Theatre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
3Olympia Theatre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Three IrelandcorePrimary sponsorship announced September 15, 2021 for an initial eight-year period. Venue renamed from Olympia Theatre to 3Olympia Theatre. Sponsorship provides financial support for reopening and preservation of the historic venue. Three is one of Ireland's leading sponsors of live music including title sponsor of 3Arena and Electric Picnic festival.
- Ticketmaster IrelandcoreExclusive ticketing partner for all shows at 3Olympia Theatre. Operates venue box office and handles all online/app ticket sales. Part of Live Nation Entertainment network.
- MCD ProductionscorePrimary promoter for approximately 90% of shows at 3Olympia Theatre. Owned by Denis Desmond and Caroline Downey who also own the venue. Brought major acts including David Bowie, Adele, R.E.M., Mumford & Sons, and many more to the venue.
- Diageo (Guinness)minorBrand sponsor visible on website footer.
- JamesonminorBrand sponsor visible on website footer.
- Coca-ColaminorBrand sponsor visible on website footer.
- BBC StudiosminorCo-producer of Bluey's Big Play live stage show with Andrew Kay and Cuffe & Taylor for BBC Studios.
- Live Nation EntertainmentcoreParent company through MCD ownership. Provides global network for booking international acts and marketing reach. 3Olympia Theatre is part of the Live Nation family of venues.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
3Olympia Theatre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Academy (Dublin): Mid-sized Dublin music venue (capacity ~800-1,300 across its rooms) hosting live music and club nights. Comparable as a Dublin mid-size live entertainment operator competing for the same touring artist bookings as 3Olympia.
- National Concert Hall: Dublin's principal performing arts venue (~1,200-2,200 capacity across halls) hosting classical music, opera, and contemporary performances. Comparable as a Dublin cultural/performance venue competing for the same arts-going audience.
- Vicar Street: Dublin-based live music and comedy venue with capacity around 1,500, directly comparable to 3Olympia in format (intimate mid-size theater), city market (Dublin), and programming mix (concerts, comedy, pantomime). Same touring-artist catchment as 3Olympia.
- 3Arena: Sister venue under the same Live Nation / MCD Productions ownership umbrella and also sponsored by Three Ireland. Operates at ~13,000 capacity in Dublin, sharing the same promoter, sponsor, and parent network as 3Olympia but at much larger scale.
- Bord Gáis Energy Theatre: Dublin theater of ~2,111 seats hosting musicals, ballet, opera, and concerts. Directly comparable as a Dublin performing arts venue competing for the same premium live-entertainment audience and touring productions.
- Gaiety Theatre: Historic Dublin theater (opened 1871) operating at ~1,000-seat capacity for theater, musicals, and concerts. Closely comparable as a heritage Dublin venue with similar programming mix and historic-brand positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Eventim Apollo (Hammersmith Apollo): London heritage venue (~5,000 capacity) operated under Live Nation/Eventim; comparable as a larger-capacity historic live entertainment venue within the same global Live Nation network, capturing mid-tier touring acts that might otherwise play Dublin.
- Roundhouse (London): Heritage London venue (~1,700 standing capacity) hosting live music, circus, and theater; comparable as a historic intimate-capacity performing arts venue with similar heritage-driven brand positioning to 3Olympia.
Others
- Live Nation Entertainment: Global live entertainment and ticketing parent company; 3Olympia sits within the Live Nation family via MCD, providing international artist routing, marketing reach, and Ticketmaster integration. Strategic ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.
- MCD Productions: Ireland's largest concert promoter and sister company to 3Olympia under shared Desmond/Downey ownership; books ~90% of shows at the venue and is the primary distribution partner driving event programming economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
3Olympia Theatre social profiles
Digital presence3Olympia Theatre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
3Olympia Theatre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
3Olympia Theatre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
3Olympia Theatre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 3Olympia Theatre
What does 3Olympia Theatre do?
3Olympia Theatre is a historic live entertainment venue in Dublin that hosts a wide range of events including concerts, comedy shows, theatre productions, family shows, and corporate functions. The venue operates with a flexible auditorium that can be configured in seated, standing, or mixed formats and provides on-site bar concessions. Tickets are sold primarily through Ticketmaster's online, app, group sales, and on-site box office channels.
Is 3Olympia Theatre a public or private company?
3Olympia Theatre is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was 3Olympia Theatre founded?
3Olympia Theatre was founded in 1879. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 3Olympia Theatre based?
3Olympia Theatre is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does 3Olympia Theatre make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are venue Rental, bar Concessions and restoration Levy.
Who are 3Olympia Theatre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Academy (Dublin), National Concert Hall, Vicar Street, 3Arena, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and Gaiety Theatre. Broad incumbents are Eventim Apollo (Hammersmith Apollo) and Roundhouse (London). Others are Live Nation Entertainment and MCD Productions.
Does 3Olympia Theatre have an API?
No public API is recorded for 3Olympia Theatre.
What industry is 3Olympia Theatre in?
3Olympia Theatre's product category is Live Entertainment Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAB, Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses), with a secondary code of MPAGALAC, Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues). Its NAICS code is 711110 and its SIC code is 7900.