John B. Keane

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John Brendan Keane (born July 21, 1928 in Listowel in County Kerry , † May 30, 2002 ibid) was an Irish playwright and writer .

Life

Keane was born the son of William B. Keane and Hannah Purtill in Listowel and spent his youth there. After completing his school education at a college in Listowel, he initially worked from 1946 to 1951 as an assistant in a pharmacy . From 1951 to 1955 he lived in Great Britain , where he earned his living in various activities. In 1955 he returned to Listowel to run a pub there.

Keane was awarded honorary lifelong membership in the Royal Dublin Society in 1991. He was President of the Irish PEN and co-founder of the Society of Irish Playwrights . He was also involved in the Aosdána group , which grants Irish artists the opportunity to dedicate themselves exclusively to their work. As a well-known member of the Fine Gael party, Keane never shied away from political debate throughout his life.

At the age of 73, Keane died of cancer in 2002 at his house in Listowel, which also houses a well-known pub. He was married to Mary O'Conner, with whom he had four children. His life's work includes 46 published works.

Works

Plays

  • Sive (first performance 1959)
  • Sharon's Grave (1960)
  • The Highest House on the Mountain (1961)
  • No More in Dust (1961)
  • Many Young Men of Twenty (1961)
  • Hat 42 (1962)
  • The Man from Clare (1962)
  • Seven Irish Plays (1967)
  • The Year of the Hiker
  • The field ; filmed in 1990 directed by Jim Sheridan
  • Big Maggie
  • minor
  • The Crazy Wall
  • The Buds of Ballybunion
  • The Chastitute
  • Faoiseamh
  • The matchmaker

Novels

  • The Bodhran Makers
  • Durango
  • The Contractors
  • A high meadow
  • Letters of a Successful TD

Essays

  • Love bites
  • Owl sandwiches

Film adaptations

  • 1999: Durango
  • 1990: The field ( The Field )

Web links

swell

personal data
SURNAME Keane, John B.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Keane, John Brendan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Irish writer and playwright
DATE OF BIRTH July 21, 1928
PLACE OF BIRTH Listowel
DATE OF DEATH May 30, 2002
Place of death Listowel