The Building Fund. A Comedy in Three Acts. Dublin: Maunsel, 1905. First Edition. Pp, 36. A nice bright copy.

Abbey Theatre logo depicting image of Queen Maeve hunting with her wolfhound to front cover. Woodcut designed by Elinor Monsell.

Signed by Arabella Waithman (Lady Gregory’s sister) on the upper cover. “Arabella Waithman, Moyne Park.”

Moyne Park is located in Abbeyknockmoy, Tuam, County Galway.

William Boyle’s most significant contributions to literature were three plays staged at the Abbey theatre in 1905 and 1906. The first, ‘The building fund’ (which opened in April 1905), was a satire on the acquisitive obsessions of a provincial family, the Grogans. It was the first play to fill the Abbey and was well received by critics. It became a staple of the Abbey repertoire for many years, in Dublin and on tour.’ [DIB]