Christy Brown facts for kids

Christy Brown (born June 5, 1932 – died September 7, 1981) was an amazing Irish writer and painter. He had a condition called cerebral palsy. This meant he could only write or type using the toes of one foot. His most famous book is his life story, called Down All The Days. It was published in 1954. Later, in 1989, a movie called My Left Foot was made about his life. This film won an Academy Award. The actor Daniel Day-Lewis played Christy Brown in the movie.

Christy Brown's Life Story

Early Life and Challenges

Christy Brown was born in Dublin, Ireland, in June 1932. His parents were Bridget Fagan and Patrick Brown. He grew up in a large family with many brothers and sisters. Sadly, nine of his siblings passed away when they were babies.

Christy was born with severe cerebral palsy. This condition made it very hard for him to control his arms and legs. Doctors suggested he go to a special hospital. But his parents wanted to raise him at home. They were very determined and loving.

Discovering His Talents

As Christy grew older, he showed a strong interest in art and books. A social worker started visiting his home. She brought him books and art supplies. Christy learned to write and draw using his left leg. This was the only part of his body he could control well. He quickly became a serious artist.

Christy did not go to school much when he was young. But he did attend St Brendan's School-Clinic sometimes. There, he met an author named Robert Collis. Collis saw that Christy was also a natural storyteller. He helped Christy publish his first book.

His Famous Books

Christy's first book was called My Left Foot. It was his own story about living with cerebral palsy. It also showed the lively culture of Dublin. The book became very popular.

Many people wrote letters to Christy after reading My Left Foot. One of them was an American woman named Beth Moore. Christy and Beth wrote to each other often. In 1960, Christy visited Beth in America. He later went back to her home to finish his biggest book.

With Beth's help, he completed the book in 1967. It was called Down All the Days. This book was published in 1970. Christy wrote a special message in the book for Beth. He thanked her for helping him finish it.

Later Years and Passing

Christy's fame grew around the world. He became a well-known person. When he returned to Ireland, he used money from his books. He built a special home outside Dublin for himself and his sister's family.

In 1972, Christy married an Englishwoman named Mary Carr. They had met at a party in London. They lived in different places in Ireland and then moved to England. Christy kept painting, writing novels, poems, and plays. His 1974 novel, A Shadow on Summer, was based on his friendship with Beth Moore.

Christy's health became worse after he married Mary. He passed away at age 49.

Christy Brown's Books and Poems

His Main Works

Christy Brown's book Down All the Days was a huge success. It was translated into 14 different languages. One reviewer called it a very important Irish novel. Like other famous writers, Christy used a special way of writing. He tried to show Dublin's culture with humor and real-sounding conversations.

After Down All the Days, Christy wrote more novels. These included A Shadow on Summer (1972) and Wild Grow the Lilies (1976). His last novel, A Promising Career, was published after he passed away in 1982.

He also published three collections of poems. These were Come Softly to My Wake, Background Music, and Of Snails and Skylarks. All his poems are now in one book called The Collected Poems of Christy Brown.

Works

• 1954 My Left Foot
• 1970 Down All the Days
• 1971 Come Softly to My Wake (Poems of Christy Brown)
• 1973 Background Music: Poems of Christy Brown
• 1974 A Shadow on Summer
• 1976 Wild Grow the Lilies
• 1978 Of Snails And Skylarks
• 1982 A Promising Career (published after his death)
• 1991 The Collected Poems of Christy Brown (a collection of his poems published after his death)