Carlo Gébler facts for kids

Carlo Gébler (born 21 August 1954) is an Irish writer, television director, and teacher. He has written many books, including novels, short stories, plays, and historical works. He is also a member of Aosdána, a special group of Irish artists.

Early Life and Family

Carlo Gébler was born in Dublin, Ireland, on August 21, 1954. His parents were both famous Irish writers, Ernest Gébler and Edna O'Brien. Carlo was named Karl, after Karl Marx.

When he was four years old, in 1958, his family moved to London. His parents separated a few years later, in 1962. Carlo and his younger brother, Sasha, lived with their mother after the separation.

Education and Learning

Carlo Gébler went to Bedales School when he was younger. He later studied English at the University of York. He also attended the National Film and Television School, where he learned about making films.

In 2009, Carlo earned a PhD from Queen's University Belfast. This shows he loves to keep learning!

Carlo's Creative Work

Carlo Gébler is a very busy and creative person. He has worked in many different areas, including film, writing, and teaching.

Directing Films

Carlo directed his first television film in 1979. In 1998, he won an award for his film Put to the Test. This award was from the RTS, which is a big deal in television.

Writing Books

Carlo Gébler started publishing novels in the 1980s. His first novel, The Eleventh Summer, came out in 1985. He then wrote August in July (1986) and Work and Play (1987).

He also writes non-fiction books. His first non-fiction book, Driving Through Cuba: An East-West Journey, was published in 1988. Since then, he has written many different types of books, including:

• Novels
• Plays and screenplays (scripts for movies)
• Children's books
• Short stories
• Memoirs (books about his own life)

Some of Carlo's novels are based on real-life historical murder cases. For example, his 2011 novel, The Dead Eight, was inspired by events in Ireland in 1940.

Writing About Family

Carlo has written several memoirs that explore his family life. In 2000, he published Father and I, which talked about his relationship with his father.

Later, in 2014, he wrote The Projectionist: The Story of Ernest Gébler. This book was a biography of his father. Carlo used his father's old diaries and notes to write it. Reviewers said he showed great understanding and care in telling his father's story. His 2015 memoir, Confessions of a Catastrophist, also talks about his family experiences.

Teaching in Prisons

From 1991 to 1997, Carlo Gébler worked as a creative writing tutor at HM Prison Maze. This was a prison in Northern Ireland. After that, from 1997 to 2015, he was a writer in residence at HM Prison Maghaberry.

He has said that teaching prisoners was a time when he learned more than at any other point in his life. It sounds like a very rewarding experience!

Teaching at University

Carlo also teaches writing at universities. He is an Assistant Professor in Creative Writing at Trinity College Dublin's Oscar Wilde Centre. He teaches a course there called "Writing for a Living." He has also taught at Queen's University Belfast.

Personal Life

Carlo Gébler lives in Enniskillen, which is in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He is married and has five children. His younger brother, Sasha Gébler, is an architect.