A new academy will be established at Trinity College in Dublin. With the involvement of the internationally renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada), the academy will provide high-standard professional education and training for actors, directors, designers, playwrights, stage managers and technicians, with courses designed in Trinity’s school of drama, film and music by Prof Brian Singleton.

The project is funded by a trust set up in memory of Cathal Ryan, an arts lover and son of Ryanair founder Tony Ryan.
His daughter, Danielle, a RADA graduate, announcing details of the plan in Dublin, said it had always been her father’s ambition to create such an academy in Ireland.

“The Trust and Trinity share a common passion to create a training academy that will have a world-class reputation in the dramatic arts, one that will enable Irish students to realise their ambitions”, she added.

RADA will be involved in designing the academy courses and in staff and student selection. Director Edward Kemp described the project as “a significant milestone” in the development of theatre and related media within Ireland, and internationally. He also paid tribute to the role of Trinity College in producing “so many of our great writers and playwrights”

The first student intake is planned for the 2011/12 academic year with work set to begin in the autumn, once contractors have been selected.

In mid August, tenders are being issued to a list of contractors for the works involved with the construction of the academy which will be at Trinity Technology and Enterprise Campus, on the corner of Pearse Street and Grand Canal Quay, Dublin.

The work will involve the construction of a two-storey extension of 448 square meters to create a two-storey building with an overall total floor area of 1,623 square meters at the site of Grand Canal Quay in the retained building.

The architect is Smith and Kennedy and the consulting engineer is Hendrick Ryan and Associates.