Donal O'Kelly facts for kids

Donal O'Kelly (born in 1958) is a talented Irish playwright and actor. He writes plays and acts in them, bringing stories to life on stage and screen.

Who is Donal O'Kelly?

Donal O'Kelly was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1958. Before he became a famous playwright and actor, he worked as a computer programmer for the Irish government. But his real passion was theatre and making a difference in the world, so he left his job to follow his dreams.

His Career in Theatre

Donal O'Kelly's first play, called Silicon Sweethearts, came out in 1984. He quickly became known for his powerful stories.

Calypso Productions

In 1993, he helped start a group called Calypso Productions. This group creates plays that focus on human rights, which are the basic freedoms and protections every person should have. Donal O'Kelly is also a strong supporter of important causes and works with an organization called Afri.

Aosdána Membership

In 2007, Donal O'Kelly was chosen to join Aosdána. This is a special group in Ireland that honors artists who have made important contributions to the arts. He later left the group in 2011 because he disagreed with a decision made by the Dunamaise Arts Centre about an artist's work.

Award-Winning Plays

Donal O'Kelly has won many awards for his writing.

Catalpa

His 1995 play, Catalpa, was a big success. It won a Scotsman Fringe First Award at the 1996 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This festival is a huge event where artists from all over the world show their work. Catalpa also won the Critics' Prize at the 1997 Melbourne International Festival in Australia.

Other Awards

In 1999, Donal O'Kelly received the Irish American Cultural Institute Butler Literary Award. This award celebrates Irish writers. Later, in 2014, his music-drama series called Francisco won a gold medal for Best Drama Special at the New York Festivals Radio Awards.

Acting on Screen

Besides writing, Donal O'Kelly is also an actor. He has appeared in several movies and TV shows.

Film Roles

You might have seen him in films like Jimmy's Hall, The Van, and Kings. For his role in Kings, he was even nominated for an IFTA award, which is a big honor in Irish film and TV.

TV Appearances

On television, Donal O'Kelly has acted in popular shows such as Paths to Freedom, Ballykissangel, and The Clinic.