# Is "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" by Martin McDonagh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh (Methuen Drama, 2001) is identified by: Methuen Drama, London, 2001, individual playscript in wrappers (ISBN 0-413-76500-8), stating 'First published 2001 by Methuen.' Issued around the Royal Shakespeare Company premiere at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, in 2001. The UK Methuen 2001 individual playscript is the true first; later collected and US editions follow.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Methuen Drama, London, 2001, individual playscript in wrappers (ISBN 0-413-76500-8), stating 'First published 2001 by Methuen.' Issued around the Royal Shakespeare Company premiere at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, in 2001
- A true first lacks any later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Methuen Drama
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Martin McDonagh |
| Publisher | Methuen Drama |
| Year | 2001 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Methuen Drama, London, 2001, individual playscript in wrappers (ISBN 0-413-76500-8), stating 'First published 2001 by Methuen.' Issued… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Methuen Drama, London, 2001, individual playscript in wrappers (ISBN 0-413-76500-8), stating 'First published 2001 by Methuen.' Issued around the Royal Shakespeare Company premiere at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, in 2001. A true first lacks any later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Methuen 2001 individual playscript is the true first; later collected and US editions follow.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reissues, Student Editions, and collected-plays volumes are not the first. No book-club issue is recorded.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Lieutenant of Inishmore* by Martin McDonagh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-lieutenant-of-inishmore
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.