The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin

What The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin does

The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art is Ireland's designated national conservatoire for dramatic art, established in 2011 on the Trinity College Dublin Technology and Enterprise Campus at Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Incorporated as Trinity College Dublin Academy of Dramatic Art CLG (CRN: 485560) and registered as a charity (RCN: 20076689), it is financially independent of Trinity College Dublin while postgraduate degrees are conferred by the university. The institution operates with 48 employees under Director & CEO Gemma Bodinetz (appointed 2023).

The Lir's core product is a multi-level educational platform comprising two undergraduate degrees (Bachelor in Acting; Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre), a Foundation Diploma in Acting & Theatre, four MFA postgraduate programmes (Stage Design; Theatre Producing; Theatre Directing; Playwriting), an extensive Short Courses portfolio spanning acting, technical theatre, audition preparation, movement, voice, playwriting, screenwriting, and musical theatre, a Youth Academy for ages 12-17, corporate training under the 'The Lir at Work' brand, and — launched in 2026 — a nationwide Speech & Drama Exams programme for ages 5-18 delivered via partner schools. Tuition ranges from €110 for single workshops to €22,800/year for non-EU MFA students, with EU/UK MFA fees at €12,530/year. Technical pedagogy includes vendor-certified ETC EOS family console training (in partnership with ETC Europe and PSI Production) covering the Augment3d 3D programming environment.

Revenue is derived from four principal streams: tuition and course fees (the largest, organised as annual or per-course payments), box office income from public productions, corporate training fees, and donations/fundraising (the charity model reinvests surpluses into student and mental-health supports and outreach). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via thelir.ie, with an in-person Dublin campus and online delivery for select MFA and short courses. Customer segments span aspiring professional actors, technical theatre practitioners, young people, adult hobbyists, corporate clients, and — through the Google.org-funded 'Pathways to Performance' and partner-school Speech & Drama Exams — outreach to Transition Year students and partner drama schools across Ireland.

Name

The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin

Legal name

Trinity College Dublin Academy of Dramatic Art CLG

Website

https://thelir.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lir Academy is Ireland's designated national conservatoire of dramatic art, based at Trinity College Dublin. It delivers undergraduate and MFA degrees, foundation and short courses, youth training, corporate programmes, and a nationwide Speech & Drama Exams framework to aspiring actors, technical theatre practitioners, young learners, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin 2

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate, postgraduate, and short course tuition fees ranging from €110 for single workshops to €12,530 for full-time postgraduate EU/UK fees. Non-EU postgraduate fees are €22,800.
2. Box Office and Productions: Revenue from public-facing productions and performances held at the academy.
3. Corporate Training (The Lir at Work): Corporate communications training programmes delivered under 'The Lir at Work' brand.
4. Donations and Fundraising: As a registered charity (RCN: 20076689), The Lir Academy relies on donations and fundraising with income reinvested into student supports, mental health supports, and outreach programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Lir Academy delivers conservatoire-level dramatic art education in Ireland through undergraduate degrees, postgraduate MFA programmes, a foundation diploma, an extensive short courses catalogue, youth academy classes, and the 2026-launched Speech & Drama Exams programme. It also offers corporate communications training via The Lir at Work and produces public-facing performances. Postgraduate degrees are conferred by Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.

Product overview

The Lir Academy is Ireland's National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin, offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programmes. The institution operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture comprising: (1) Undergraduate degrees - Bachelor in Acting and Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre; (2) Foundation Diploma in Acting & Theatre; (3) Postgraduate MFA programmes in Stage Design, Theatre Producing, Theatre Directing, and Playwriting; (4) Extensive Short Courses programme covering acting, technical theatre, audition preparation, movement, voice, writing, and performance; (5) Youth Academy for ages 12-17; (6) Corporate training via The Lir at Work; and (7) The Lir Academy Speech & Drama Exams - a pioneering examination programme for ages 5-18 launched in 2026. The portfolio spans from beginner to professional levels, serving aspiring actors, trained professionals, and those with curious interest in theatre.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor in Acting A full-time honours degree programme training students in acting techniques, voice, movement, and classical and contemporary text for stage performance. Designed for aspiring professional actors.
• Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre A 3-year practical degree focusing on lighting and sound, prop making, scenic art, set building, costume, production, and stage management with specialisation options from year two. Designed for students pursuing technical theatre careers.
• Foundation Diploma in Acting & Theatre A foundation programme preparing students for acting training, covering voice, movement, improvisation, and text-based work with focus on building confidence through play. Targeted at applicants preparing for drama school entry.
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Stage Design (Set, Costume and/or Lighting) MFA programme focusing on stage design disciplines including set design, costume design, and lighting design with practical production experience. Aimed at postgraduate designers.
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre Producing MFA programme developing skills in theatre production management, touring, consultancy, and producing contemporary theatre. For aspiring and current arts producers.
• MFA in Theatre Directing MFA programme training theatre directors with emphasis on contemporary directing practices, devised work, and collaboration with designers and playwrights. For emerging and established directors.
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Playwriting One-year full-time or two-year part-time MFA in creative writing for stage, focusing on developing individual playwright voice with mentorship and public showcase. Available online with 1-2 in-person days per week. For aspiring playwrights.
• ETC EOS Console Training Series of one-day ETC EOS family training sessions including Essentials, Expanded, Advanced, Expert, Networking, and Augment3d levels, taught by lighting designer Kevin Smith in partnership with ETC Europe and PSI Production. For lighting designers and practitioners.
• Prop Making Level 1 10-week introductory course teaching professional prop making skills including realistic fake food, costume accessories, and safe action props using materials like MDF, latex, and epoxy putty. Cost €440 per course.
• Costume - Level 1 - Sewing and Alterations 10-week practical course teaching hand and machine sewing skills, costume measurement, fitting, and alteration techniques for theatre costume departments. Cost €430 per course.
• Youth Academy - Acting Saturday acting classes for young people aged 12-17, designed to introduce core acting training elements including voice, movement, improvisation, and screen acting. Cost €350 per student per term.
• Young Actors' Programme (Senior Cycle) - 2 Weeks Intensive two-week conservatoire-level programme for young performers aged 15-17, covering acting, voice, movement, audition techniques, and mock auditions. Cost €955 with instalment payments available.
• Playwriting Level 1 (Online) Ten-week online programme for novice playwrights exploring storytelling fundamentals for stage, covering narrative structure, plot, setting, character, and dialogue. Cost €430.
• Screenwriting Level 1 (Online) Introductory online screenwriting course focusing on screenplay forms, ideas, and craft with emphasis on visual, cinematic writing. Cost €430.
• Audition Workshop Weekend One-weekend audition preparation workshop guiding participants through monologue selection and characterisation development for drama school auditions. Cost €250.
• Audition Workshop (Online) Online audition preparation workshop delivered via Zoom for drama school audition preparation with monologue selection guidance. Cost €110.
• Audition Masterclass (2 Weekends) Intensive two-weekend masterclass for drama school audition preparation covering classical and contemporary monologues, voice, movement, and mock auditions with industry panel. Cost €400.
• Musical Theatre Level 1 Beginner-friendly course for adults covering singing, dancing, and acting for musical theatre with practical performance opportunities.
• Screen Acting Over 35s - Level 1 Practical ten-week course introducing screen acting processes and camera confidence for students over 35 years old. Cost €455.
• Playwriting Level 2 (Online) Follow-on ten-week online programme exploring playwriting in depth, focusing on genre storytelling, dialogue, and structured workshop environment for sharing work. Cost €430.
• Screenwriting Level 2 (Online) Follow-on online course developing longer-form screenwriting skills including pitches, treatments, and feature-length script development. Cost €430.
• Pathways to Performance (Google Partnership) Free one-week immersive theatre production programme for Transition Year students, funded by Google.org, covering costume design, lighting, sound, scenic construction, and acting.
• The Lir Academy Speech & Drama Exams Pioneering speech and drama examination programme for children and young people aged 5-18 years, launched July 2026, with progressive curriculum focusing on imagination, playfulness, curiosity, resilience, and personal confidence rather than rote learning. Delivered via nationwide partner drama schools.
• The Lir at Work Corporate communications training programme delivered by The Lir Academy for businesses and organisations seeking to improve staff communication and presentation skills.

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls)coreTechnology or Integration · 26 July 2026Partnership with ETC Europe delivering professional lighting console training at The Lir Academy using ETC's Eos family of consoles. Training covers hardware overview, basics and nuances of control systems, Augment3d 3D programming environment, and networking capabilities.
• PSI Production (Production Services Ireland)coreTechnology or Integration · 26 July 2026Partnership with PSI Production as co-host of ETC EOS family training sessions at The Lir Academy, providing hands-on training events for lighting professionals.
• Nationwide Drama SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2026Partnership network of drama schools across Ireland to deliver The Lir Academy Speech & Drama Exams programme for children and young people aged 5-18 years. Founding partner schools will begin rollout in September 2026 with first assessments in April-May 2027.
• Google/Google.orgcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 July 2026Partnership with Google's charitable arm Google.org on the 'Pathways to Performance' project, a one-week immersive programme introducing 16 Transition Year students to full theatre production. Google.org provided funding to support access for students who might not otherwise have opportunity to engage with theatre training.
• Trinity College DublincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partnership as Ireland's National Academy of Dramatic Art housed within Trinity College Dublin's Trinity Technology and Enterprise Campus. Postgraduate degrees are conferred by Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Guildhall School of Music and Drama: London conservatoire offering acting, technical theatre, and design degrees; comparable to The Lir for conservatoire training and is the alma mater of Lir's Head of Short Courses, Roger Evans.
• East 15 Acting School: UK conservatoire within the University of Essex offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and short courses in acting and contemporary theatre; comparable in programme structure and conservatoire mission to The Lir.
• Gaiety School of Acting: Dublin-based actor training school offering full-time and part-time conservatoire-style programmes; the closest local competitor to The Lir in the Irish market, serving overlapping student segments.
• Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA): RADA is the UK's premier conservatoire for dramatic art, offering acting and technical theatre degrees; directly comparable to The Lir as a national-level conservatoire model that trains actors for stage and screen.
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Scotland's national conservatoire offering degrees in acting, directing, producing, and design; the most direct international peer for The Lir, and the prior employer of Lir Director Gemma Bodinetz.
• Central School of Speech and Drama: University of London conservatoire offering acting, theatre practice, and technical theatre programmes; directly comparable in curriculum to The Lir, and alma mater of Gavin O'Donoghue (Lir's Director of Actor Training).
• Bristol Old Vic Theatre School: UK conservatoire offering acting, directing, and theatre design programmes; comparable in scale, curriculum breadth, and conservatoire mission to The Lir's degree and MFA portfolio.
• London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA): LAMDA is a leading UK conservatoire offering acting and production training plus a globally recognised speech & drama examinations franchise; directly comparable to The Lir across both academic programmes and the new Speech & Drama Exams rollout.
• Bow Street Academy for Screen Acting: Dublin-based screen acting school offering part-time and intensive courses; a local peer in the screen acting segment, and former employer of Lir's Commercial Director Paul O'Connor.

Broad incumbents

• Yale School of Drama: Elite US graduate school offering MFA programmes in acting, directing, design, and playwriting; the global gold-standard benchmark for conservatoire-style MFA drama training, comparable to The Lir's MFA portfolio at a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheLirAcademy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClRrEceVZUkxHQe-naS6qBg
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLirAcademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lir---national-academy-of-dramatic-art-ireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/the__lir

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin