Mr John B. Keane  

Letters of an Irish Parish Priest

14.99

A hilarious tale of rural politics and Catholicism by the internationally beloved author of Sive John B. Keane

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Description

John B. Keane was born in Listowel in 1928. Having worked in a variety of jobs in Ireland and England, he married and settled down to run a pub in his native town. Now he is recognised as a major Irish writer, who has written many successful plays – Sive, Sharon's Grave, The Highest House on the Mountain, The Man from Clare, The Year of the Hiker, Many Young Men of Twenty, Big Maggie, Moll and Self-Portrait, is his own story. This book follows his best seller Letters of a Successful T.D. There is a riot of laughter in every page and its theme is the correspondence between a country parish priest and his nephew who is studying to be a priest. Fr. O’Mora has been referred to by one of his parishioner's as one who "is suffering from an overdose of racial memory aggravated by religious bigotry". J.B. Keane's humour is neatly pointed, racy of the soil and never forced. This book gives a picture of a way of life which though is in great part vanishing is still familiar to many of our country-men who still believe "that priests could turn them into goats". It brings out all the humour and pathos of Irish life. It is hilariously funny and will entertain and amuse everybody. This is definitely a "must" book for all. John B. Keane is one of Ireland's most prolific and respected literary figures, he spent his literary career running a pub in Listowel Co. Kerry which provided him with inspiration for his characters and ideas. His first play, Sive, won the All-Ireland Drama Festival in 1959 went on to become an international success. It was followed by another beloved stage work, Sharon's Grave, in 1960. The Field (1965) and Big Maggie (1969), are widely regarded as classics of the modern Irish stage. His expansive body of work includes even more stage plays, novels, collections of essays, memoirs and short stories. His novel Durango was adapted into an award-winning film in 1991, starring Brenda Fricker and Patrick Bergin. He is the one of the most decorated Irish writers of the latter half of the twentieth century and a recipient of honorary doctorates from Trinity College, Dublin, Limerick University and Marymount College, New York. John B. Keane remains one of Mercier's, and Ireland's, best-loved and best-selling authors.

Author

John B. Keane, one of Ireland’s most prolific and respected literary figures, died on 30 May 2002 at the age of 73, after a long and difficult battle with cancer. John B. Keane was born in 1928 in Listowel, County Kerry and it was here that he spent his literary career, running a pub which provided him with inspiration for his characters and ideas.

His first play, Sive, was presented by the Listowel Drama Group and won the All-Ireland Drama Festival in 1959. It was followed by another success, Sharon’s Grave, in 1960. The Field (1965) and Big Maggie (1969), are widely regarded as classics of the modern Irish stage and jewels in a crown which includes such popular hits as Many Young Men of Twenty, The Man from Clare, Moll, The Chastitute and The Year of the Hiker. His large canon of plays have been seen abroad in cities as far afield as Moscow and Los Angeles. Big Maggie ran on Broadway for over two months in 1982 and The Field was adapted into an Oscar-winning Hollywood film, starring Brenda Fricker and Richard Harris, in 1991.

But it was not just in his plays that John B. Keane managed to portray all aspects of humanity with both wit and truth. He also wrote many fine novels, including The Contractors, A High Meadow and Durango. Durango was adapted for the big screen, starring Brenda Fricker and Patrick Bergin. A writer of essays, short stories and letters, his humorous words live on in Celebrated Letters of John B. Keane, More Celebrated Letters, The Best of John B. Keane and The Short Stories of John B. Keane. In 1987 John B. Keane received a special award for his enduring place in Irish life and letters from the Sunday Independent/Irish Life. In that year he also won a Sunday Tribune Arts Award and in 1988 he was chosen as the recipient of the Irish-American Fund Award for Literature. In 1999 he was presented with a Gradam medal, the Abbey Theatre’s highest award.

He was a member of Aosdana and the recipient of honorary doctorates from Trinity College, Dublin, Limerick University and Marymount College, New York. John B. Keane remains one of Mercier`s best-loved and best-selling authors.