Bill Long

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bill Long (born April 28, 1932 in Waterford , † May 21, 2010 ) was an Irish writer and broadcaster. He often appeared on RTÉ Radio 1 . He was also Ireland's longest living heart transplant patient .

Early years

Long was born in Waterford . He lived in a thatched house with his family, including his mother, father, brother and maternal grandparents. His father was a vegetable farmer. Long was obsessed with reading as a child, devouring Henry David Thoreau , Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Zane Gray . This got him into trouble at school, because he read when he supposedly pretended to devote himself to religious studies. His time at boarding school was funded by a family friend, but he dropped out after two years. He attended the school of the Congregation of Christian Brothers in Tramore , but also dropped out at the age of 14. With his wife, Peg, he had two sons and two daughters.

Career

After Long left school, he enlisted in the Navy. But he soon left her again. He began working for the Cork Examiner before moving to a newspaper in Waterford, then he went to the Irish Press , followed by the Irish Independent , The Irish Times and briefly Raidió Teilifís Éireann . He also worked in Revlon's public relations department . Long lived in London , where Raymond Chandler was his neighbor. The two were closely related as they both shared a youth at Waterford. Long also made trips to the United States and South America . He met personalities such as Thomas Merton and Katherine Anne Porter , the latter of whom seriously encouraged him to write. He quit his job at Revlon. In order to support his family, he made radio documentaries in addition to his writing. These documentaries include Singing Ark (for which he won a Jacob's Awards ) and the Dylan Thomas documentary Flowering Flood . He also hosted RTÉ Radio 1 Sunday Miscellany . Long was also a lecturer in theology at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

With Bright Light, White Water, he published a book in 1993 in which he documented the history of every Irish lighthouse and its keepers . After a heart attack, he underwent a transplant in 1994. This and its recovery aroused public interest - RTÉ made a documentary and Long's book Change of Heart , describing what had happened and advocating increased donor education. He continued to write and published other books, completing his memoir shortly before his death in 2010.

Works

  • Bright Light, White Water (1993)
  • Change of Heart (?)
  • Title unknown (memoir) (2010)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christmas Day on RTÉ Radio 1 . In: RTÉ Radio 1 , Raidió Teilifís Éireann , December 25, 2009. "SANTA CLAUSE OF LONLINESS: Bill Long spends Christmas in the company of Thomas Merton With Patrick Dawson as Thomas Merton and Joe Taylor as Erskine Caldwell - 1.45pm on RTÉ Radio 1 " 
  2. ↑ a b c d e Author and broadcaster, well known for 'Change of Heart' . In: The Irish Times , Irish Times Trust, June 12, 2010. 

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Long, Bill
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Irish writer and broadcaster
DATE OF BIRTH April 28, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH Waterford
DATE OF DEATH May 21, 2010