Dermot Healy facts for kids

Dermot Healy (born 9 November 1947 – died 29 June 2014) was a famous Irish writer. He wrote many different types of stories. These included novels, plays, poems, and short stories.

Healy was a member of Aosdána. This is a special group for Irish artists. He was even part of its main committee. People called him a "master" writer. Some said he was "Ireland's finest living novelist." He was born in Finea, County Westmeath. Later, he lived in County Sligo.

Many other famous writers admired Dermot Healy. These included Seamus Heaney and Roddy Doyle. His novel A Goat's Song was considered for the Booker Prize. He won several awards for his writing. These included the Hennessy Award and the Encore Award. His book Long Time, No See was nominated for a big international award.

Life Story of Dermot Healy

Dermot Healy was born in Finea, County Westmeath. His father was a police officer, called a Guard. When Dermot was a child, his family moved to Cavan. He went to secondary school there.

As a teenager, he moved to London. He worked many different jobs. He was a barman, a security guard, and a labourer. Later, he came back to Ireland. He settled in Ballyconnell, County Sligo. This is a small town on the Atlantic coast. Dermot Healy passed away at his home in 2014. He was laid to rest at Carrigans Cemetery.

Dermot Healy's Writing Style

Dermot Healy's writing was special. He got ideas from many writers around the world. Some of these included Samuel Beckett and William Shakespeare. He also liked Emily Dickinson and Franz Kafka.

Healy often wrote in a shed. He once said, "I know writing is what I do but I still don't see myself as one." He was very interested in where words come from. This is called etymology.

Dermot Healy's Works

Dermot Healy wrote many different books and plays. Here are some of his most well-known works.

Fiction Books

• Banished Misfortune (1982) - a collection of short stories
• Fighting with Shadows (1984)
• A Goat's Song (1994)
• Sudden Times (1999)
• Long Time, No See (2011)
• The Collected Short Stories (2015)

Autobiography

• The Bend for Home (1996) - a book about his own life

Plays for the Stage

• Here and There and Going to America (1985)
• The Long Swim (1988)
• Curtains (1990)
• On Broken Wings (1992)
• Last Night's Fun (1994)
• Boxes (1998)
• Mister Staines (1999)
• Metagama (2005)
• A Night at the Disco (2006)
• The Collected Plays (2016)

Poetry Collections

• Neighbours' Lights (1992)
• The Ballyconnel Colours (1995)
• What the Hammer (1998)
• The Reed Bed (2001)
• A Fool's Errand (2010)

Film Work

• I Could Read the Sky (1999) - Dermot Healy also acted in this film.