Fringe award for Abbey's 'Terminus'

THE ABBEY Theatre's production of Terminus by Irish playwright Mark O'Rowe has won a Scotsman Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh…

THE ABBEY Theatre's production of Terminusby Irish playwright Mark O'Rowe has won a Scotsman Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival.

The award, to be announced today, is the second Fringe First in this year's festival for an Irish playwright. Last week Enda Walsh received one for The New Electric Ballroom.

Terminus, which opened at the Abbey last summer, stars Andrea Irvine, Karl Shiels and Eileen Walsh - who won the award for best actress for her role in Terminusat this year's Irish TimesIrish Theatre Awards.

The Minister for the Arts, Martin Cullen, said this was "a validation of the continuing strength of Irish theatre and an important international recognition of the talent of our young Irish playwrights". The director of the Abbey, Fiach MacConghail, said O'Rowe was "one of the most exciting and visceral Irish playwrights we have and we are very proud that this Abbey commission has been recognised at this festival".