Desmond Hogan facts for kids

Desmond Hogan, born on December 10, 1950, is an Irish writer. He has won important awards for his work. These include the 1977 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and the 1980 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. He writes many types of stories. His works include novels, plays, short stories, and travel books.

Newspapers have praised his writing. The Cork Examiner said he shows what it's like to be a "disturbed child" in a "troubled country." The Irish Independent noted his kindness to "the lonely and the downtrodden." The Boston Globe mentioned his unique writing style. It described his prose as full of "exotic imagery."

Desmond Hogan was friends with other famous writers. These included Bruce Chatwin, Ian McEwan, Peter Carey, and Salman Rushdie. He was also a close friend of Kazuo Ishiguro.

About Desmond Hogan's Life

Early Life and Education

Desmond Hogan was born in Ballinasloe. This town is in the east of County Galway, Ireland. His father worked as a draper, selling cloth. Desmond went to local schools. These were St. Grellan's Boys' National School and St. Joseph's College. Some of his first writings appeared in The Fountain. This was his college's yearly publication.

After school, Hogan traveled to France. He arrived in Paris just after the student protests of 1968. Later, he studied at University College Dublin (UCD). He earned his first degree there in 1972. He then completed a master's degree in 1973.

Starting His Writing Career

In 1971, Desmond Hogan won the Hennessy Award. This was an early recognition of his talent. A group called the Irish Writers' Co-operative published his first book. This book was called The Ikon Maker. It was also the first book published by the Co-op. While living in Dublin, he worked as a street actor. He also had several plays performed. These plays were shown at the Abbey Theatre and the Project Arts Centre.

His plays were also broadcast on radio. RTÉ and BBC Radio aired some of his works. One of these plays was titled Jimmy. He also published short stories. These appeared in small magazines. Examples include Adam and the Transatlantic Review.

Moving to London and Travel Writing

Later, Desmond Hogan moved to London. He lived in different areas like Tooting and Hampstead. He made many friends who were also writers. These included Kazuo Ishiguro and Jaci Stephen. He also took part in poetry readings. These events were held at a bookshop in Covent Garden.

His first novel, The Ikon-Maker, was written in 1974. It was published two years later in 1976.

In 1977, he received the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. This award recognized his important contributions to Irish writing. In 1980, he won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. This was for his collection of short stories. The collection was called Diamonds at the Bottom of the Sea. In 1981, his work was featured in the literary magazine Granta.

In 1989, Hogan left London. He spent time at the University of Alabama in the United States. In 1991, he received a special fellowship. This allowed him to live in Berlin, Germany. While in Berlin, he met a young man named Sammy. They traveled together. Their travels inspired a collection of travel writings. This book was called The Edge of the City: A Scrapbook 1976-1991. After Sammy's passing, Hogan moved to Prague. There, he wrote Farewell to Prague in 1995.

Hogan returned to Ireland in 1995. He lived in Clifden, County Galway. For a time, he lived in a caravan in County Limerick. In 1997, he taught short fiction. This was at the University of California, San Diego.

He was a judge for a major literary award in 2005. This was the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. He enjoys history, painting, and traveler culture. He has used a typewriter since he was a child. He prefers postcards for communication.

Public Readings and Appearances

Desmond Hogan has shared his work at many events.

• 1970s: He read at The Sarsfield Bar in Limerick.
• July 26, 1989: He appeared at the Galway Arts Centre. This was part of the Galway Arts Festival.
• 2002: He participated in the Sean Dunne Literary Festival.
• September 21–22, 2002: He attended the Frank O'Connor Festival of the Short Story.
• July 8, 2004: He was in Dublin for the launch of a literary journal.
• 2004: He gave a reading at Galway County Library.
• April 20, 2005: He was at the Cúirt International Festival of Literature in Galway.

His Impact on Literature

Desmond Hogan's work is included in many important books. These books collect the best of modern Irish literature.

• William Trevor chose his stories for The Oxford Book of Irish Stories.
• Colm Tóibín picked his story "Winter Swimmers" for The Penguin Book of Irish Writing.
• His work also appears in The Anchor Book of New Irish Writing.
• He is featured in Best European Fiction 2012. This book was edited by Aleksandar Hemon.
• Another Irish writer, Colum McCann, says Hogan has greatly influenced him.
• Joyce Carol Oates, an American writer, really likes his story "Winter Swimmers."
• Robert McCrum, a former literary editor, calls Hogan "one of Ireland's finest writers."

Awards and Recognitions

• 1971: Hennessy Award
• 1977: Rooney Prize for Irish Literature
• 1980: John Llewellyn Rhys Prize

List of Works

Novels by Desmond Hogan

• The Ikon Maker (1976)
• The Leaves on Grey (1980)
• A Curious Street (1984)
• A New Shirt (1986)
• A Farewell to Prague (1995)

Short Story Collections

• Diamonds at the Bottom of the Sea and Other Stories (1979)
• Children of Lir: Stories from Ireland (1981)
• Stories: the Diamonds at the Bottom of the Sea, Children of Lir (1982)
• The Mourning Thief and Other Stories (1987)
• Lebanon Lodge (1988)
• A Link With the River. Stories (1989)
• Elysium: Stories (1995)
• Lark's Eggs: New and Selected Stories (2005)
• Old Swords and other stories (2009)
• The House of Mourning and Other Stories (2013)
• The History of Magpies (2017)

Travel Writing

• The Edge of the City: A Scrapbook 1976–91 (1993)

Plays

• A Short Walk to the Sea (1976)
• Sanctified Distances (1976)
• The Squat (1976)
• The Mourning Thief (TV play)
• The Ikon Maker (1980)