Table of Contents -- I: THE REALISTIC DRAMA OF THE ABBEY -- 1 The Abbey: Shadow or Substance of a Theatre? -- 2 The Abbey Dramatists: 1926-1945 -- 3 Paul Vincent Carroll: The Rebel as Prodigal Son -- 4 The Abbey Dramatists: 1946-1965 -- 5 Michael Molloy's Dying Ireland -- Appendix I: Tomelty, Thompson, and the Theatre in Ulster -- II: REACTIONS FROM REALISM -- 6 At the Gate Theatre -- 7 The Adult Theatre of Denis Johnston -- 8 The Experimental Theatre of the Poets -- Appendix II: The Genius of George Fitzmaurice -- III: THE POST-WAR SYNTHESIS -- 9 The Theatre Festival -- 10 The Short Happy World of Brendan Behan -- 11 The Hidden Ireland of John B. Keane -- Appendix III: The Outsiders -- IV: THE OLD MAN SAYS "YES!" -- 12 In Sean O'Casey's Golden Days -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Illustrations between pages 4 and 5.