The Abbey Theatre collection covers a period of approximately 65 years.  The material includes theatre programs, photographs, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, miscellaneous correspondence, architectural briefs and designs, cheques and receipts, and some material about Sara Allgood, a leading actress of the Irish theatre.

The bulk of the collection consists of selected Abbey Theatre programs, 1904-1970, arranged chronologically, all in good condition and in their original covers.  Also included are the program of the opening night of the Abbey, 27 December 1904, and the program announcing the first productions of some of the controversial plays (such as Playboy of the Western World, January 1907).  In addition to the Abbey Theatre programs, there are samples of programs from the Abbey Experimental Theatre, Apollo Theatre, Dublin Gate Theatre, Royalty and Royal Court Theatre, and Q Theatre.

The photographs include some scenes from Abbey plays, as well as two photographs of the old Abbey Theatre after the fire and six photographs of the new Abbey Theatre.  The newspaper clippings and magazine articles provide information about the Abbey after the fire.  The folder which holds material about Sara Allgood has a photocopy of her photograph; the first three pages of The Image, a play by Lady Gregory, which apparently belonged to Allgood; a note, dated 25 July 1911, in her own handwriting; and a postcard from the Abbey's 1911 tour of the United States.