Nuala Hayes

Nuala Hayes (born 19 August 1948) is an Irish actor, storyteller, author and broadcaster. She trained at the Abbey Theatre and was a member of the Abbey Theatre Company from 1970 to 1975. She is known for originating the role of Máire in the world premiere of Brian Friel's Translations with the Field Day Theatre Company in 1980, and for founding Scéalta Shamhna, Dublin's first storytelling festival, in 1991. She is the author of Laois Folk Tales, published by The History Press.

Early life and education Nuala Hayes was born on 19 August 1948 in Ireland. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from University College Dublin. She subsequently trained as an actor at the Abbey Theatre, Ireland's national theatre.

Acting career

Abbey Theatre (1970–1975) Hayes trained at the Abbey Theatre and was a member of the Abbey Theatre Company for five years, from 1970 to 1975. During this period, she performed in productions of plays by major Irish playwrights and toured extensively. She also worked with the Young Abbey Theatre in Education Group alongside director Joe Dowling and actor Kathleen Barrington. Abbey Theatre production and casting records for this period are held in the archive at NUI Galway.

As an independent broadcaster, Hayes produced a number of radio documentaries for RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ lyric fm, several made under the name Two Chairs Company. These include:

The Yarnspinners (RTÉ Radio 1) Moving Statues (RTÉ Radio 1), made with broadcaster Doireann Ní Bhriain; winner of a Jacob's Award Who Was Vere Foster? (RTÉ lyric fm), made with Doireann Ní Bhriain The Lay of the Land (RTÉ lyric fm), Two Chairs Company You Can't Shove Your Granny off a Bus (RTÉ Radio 1 series) Tales at the Crossroads / Tales from the Midlands of Ireland (RTÉ Radio 1), Two Chairs Company; arising from her 2005 Artist in Residence work in County Laois The company also undertook community education work, running interactive storytelling and music workshops for children in libraries and schools around Ireland.

In 2000, Hayes collaborated with the Verbal Arts Centre in Derry on Everlasting Voices.

Hayes devised The Queen of Irish Storytellers: Stories of Peig Sayers in collaboration with author Éilís Ní Dhuibhne and musician and folklorist Aoife Granville, with live animation by visual artist Rita Duffy. The production toured Ireland and was performed at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival in Edinburgh in 2024.

In 2025, she was one of three storytellers to undertake a ten-month residency on seven West Cork islands as part of Creative Places West Cork Islands. In the same year she appeared in Beckett Sa Chreig / Guth na mBan, a production of three plays for women by Samuel Beckett translated into Irish by Micheál Ó Conghaile.

Publications

Books

Laois Folk Tales. The History Press, 2015. Bóithrin na Smaointe: Memories and Stories of the Older Generation on Cape Clear Island / Oileán Chléire, West Cork. Photography by John Minihan, 2006. St Anthony's Tongue: Stories from Birr Community Nursing Unit, Co. Offaly. Photography by John Minihan, 2011.

Anthologies

Folktales of Ireland, Parts I and II. Sunday Miscellany Anthology 2018–2023. New Island Books. Sunday Miscellany Anthology 2023–2025. New Island Books. Shadows + Reflections: The Irish National War Memorial Gardens. Gandon Editions, 2021. Foreword by President Michael D. Higgins.

Audio

The Brewery of Eggshells and Other Stories (CD), with Kate Corkery.

Organisational roles Hayes served as Chairperson of Storytellers of Ireland / Aos Scéal Éireann from 2020 to 2024. She is listed in the Poetry Ireland Writers in Schools Directory.

Personal life Hayes married theatre director and filmmaker Art Ó Briain (1947–2020) in 1972.