Old flame: Gaiety School of Acting celebrates 25th birthday

ONE OF the country’s leading theatre schools marked its 25th year in business yesterday with a suitably dramatic stunt.

The Gaiety School of Acting celebrated the anniversary with a 6ft birthday cake, lit by a “human candle”.

Stunt performer Conor Hegarty set his head on fire to light the giant cake near the school’s premises in Temple Bar.

Founded in the mid-1980s by theatre director Joe Dowling, the school has trained many of the country’s best-known actors, including Colin Farrell, Eva Birthistle and Don Wycherley.

Today, students range in age from five to 80 years old and courses range in length from a few weeks to two-year full-time programmes.