Colm Ó Clúbhán facts for kids

Colm Ó Clúbhán (1954 – March 1989), also known as Colm Clifford, was an Irish writer and activist. He wrote plays and books. He also worked to support the rights of LGBT people.

Early Life and Education

Colm Ó Clúbhán was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1954. His mother was Sheila Marie Eady. His father was Sigerson Clifford, a well-known poet and playwright. Both his parents were from County Cork. Ó Clúbhán is the Irish version of the name Clifford.

Colm had four brothers and two sisters. He went to primary school at Presentation College in Glasthule. In 1968, he moved to Marian College in Ballsbridge for his last four years of secondary school.

In 1973, Colm moved to London. Later, he lived in Barcelona, Spain, for several years. There, he taught English. He returned to London in the mid-1980s and lived there until he passed away.

Career as a Writer

Colm Ó Clúbhán helped start a gay theatre group in London called the Brixton Faeries. This group used theatre to share important messages. His poems and plays often explored themes of identity and feeling lonely, especially for people who had moved to a new country.

In 1986, he won the Hennessy Literary Award for his work called Flood. His first play was named Friends of Rio Rita. The title came from a phrase used by some gay people, "Friend of Dorothy." It also referred to a character in a play by Brendan Behan. Colm said this character was "probably the only gay character I know of in Irish drama." Friends of Rio Rita was first performed at the Oval House Theatre.

Many of Colm's writings were not published and have been lost over time. However, some of his works have been found again in the Hall–Carpenter Archives. These rediscovered works have been studied many years after his death. Professor Ed Madden from the University of South Carolina has done a lot of research on Ó Clúbhán's writings. In 2017, he hosted a special event at Boston College Ireland to discuss Colm's work.

Plays

• Rip the World Open - 1988
• Reasons for Staying - 1986
• Friends of Rio Rita - 1985

Later Life

Colm Ó Clúbhán died in March 1989. He was 34 or 35 years old. He passed away from a serious illness. There is a special bench in the Walled Garden of Brockwell Park in Brixton. It is dedicated to his memory.