Billy Roche facts for kids

Billy Roche is an Irish writer and actor. He was born on January 11, 1949. He grew up and still lives in Wexford, Ireland. Many of his stories and plays are set in this town. Before becoming a writer, Billy was a singer in a band called The Roach Band. He started writing in the 1980s. He is famous for his plays, especially "The Wexford Trilogy." Plus, he has published a novel and a book of short stories. He also wrote a movie script called Trojan Eddie.

Billy Roche's Career

Billy Roche has had a busy career as a writer and actor. He is well-known for his plays, films, and books. He has also helped many young writers.

The Wexford Trilogy

Billy Roche is most famous for "The Wexford Trilogy." This is a series of three full-length plays. They all first opened at the Bush Theatre in London. Robin Lefevre directed all three plays.

• A Handful of Stars (1988)

* This play takes place in a snooker club in Wexford. It tells the story of two young boys. Their dreams and hopes lead them down different paths.

• Poor Beast In The Rain (1989)

* This play is set in a betting shop in Wexford. It happens on the day of the all-Ireland Hurling finals. An old friend returns to Wexford. This brings back old memories and feelings for the characters.

• Belfry (1991)

* This story is set in a church bell tower and vestry. It is a romantic comedy. It is about a quiet church worker who rings the bells. He falls in love with a married woman.

The BBC also turned these three plays into a television series in 1993. The actors from the original stage shows were in the TV version.

Other Creative Work

Billy Roche has created many other works beyond "The Wexford Trilogy."

Plays for the Stage

His other plays include:

• Amphibians (1992)
• The Cavalcaders (1993)
• On Such As We (2001)

After some time, Roche wrote Lay Me Down Softly (2008). This play is set in a traveling boxing ring in Ireland. Billy also adapted and directed a one-man stage show. It was based on his short novel, "The Diary of Maynard Perdu." He toured with this show from 2017 to 2019.

Acting Roles

As an actor, Billy Roche has appeared in several plays and films:

• Aristocrats (1988)
• The Cavalcaders (1993)
• Trojan Eddie (1997)
• Man About Dog (2004)
• The Eclipse (2009) - This film was based on one of his own short stories.

Films He Wrote

He wrote the movie script for Trojan Eddie (1997). This film starred famous actors Richard Harris and Stephen Rea.

Books He Published

Billy Roche has also written several books:

• Tumbling Down (1986) - This is his novel. He later updated and re-released it in 2008.
• Tales from Rainwater Pond (2006) - This is a collection of his short stories.
• The Diary of Maynard Perdu (2008) - This is a shorter novel, called a novella.

Helping Young Writers

In 2005, Billy Roche started tutoring students in Wexford. He helped them write their own short stories. He worked with his friend Eoin Colfer, who wrote the popular Artemis Fowl books.

These students created the first "Novus" magazine. Since then, Billy Roche has continued to coach many local writers. This group of young writers has published two books of their work: "Inked" (2007) and "Inked 2" (2008).

In 2007, Billy Roche became a member of Aosdána. This is a special group that honors Irish artists.