Frank O'Connor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank O'Connor
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| Born | Michael Francis O'Donovan 17 September 1903 Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 10 March 1966 (aged 62) Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation | writer, professor |
| Spouse |
Evelyn Bowen
(m. 1939; div. 1953)Harriet Rich
(m. 1953) |
| Military Service | |
| Service/ |
Irish Republican Army Anti-Treaty IRA |
| Battles/wars | Irish War of Independence Irish Civil War |
Frank O'Connor (born Michael Francis O'Donovan; 17 September 1903 – 10 March 1966) was a famous Irish writer. He wrote many different kinds of books. These included poems, plays, and stories about his own life (called memoirs). He also wrote articles about Irish culture and history.
O'Connor is best known for his more than 150 short stories. He also wrote popular memoirs. A special award for short stories, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, is named after him.
Contents
Growing Up in Ireland
Frank O'Connor's Early Life
Frank O'Connor grew up in Cork, Ireland. He was the only child of Minnie and Michael O'Donovan. He went to Saint Patrick’s School.
One of his teachers, Daniel Corkery, taught him about the Irish language and poetry. This teacher greatly influenced young Frank. He also attended North Monastery Christian Brothers School.
O'Connor loved his mother very much. He found his childhood difficult because of his father. In his memoirs, he called these years "terrible." He wrote that he could never forgive his father for how he treated his mother and himself.
When his mother was 70, O'Connor learned she had suffered for years. She had a serious stomach problem called chronic appendicitis. She bravely dealt with the pain because she never had money or time to see a doctor.
Joining the Irish Fight for Freedom
O'Connor's Role in Irish Nationalism
In 1918, O'Connor joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA). This group fought for Ireland's independence. He took part in battles during the Irish War of Independence.
After the war, he disagreed with the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. This treaty created the Irish Free State. O'Connor joined the Anti-Treaty IRA during the Irish Civil War. He worked in a small group that created messages for their cause in Cork City.
The new Irish government arrested many Anti-Treaty fighters. O'Connor was one of about 12,000 people who were held in prison. In February 1923, he was put in Cork City Gaol. Later, in April, he was moved to Gormanston, County Meath. He stayed there until just before Christmas.
His experiences in these wars greatly influenced his writing. War is a main topic in his first collection of short stories, Guests of the Nation, published in 1931.
A Life of Writing and Theatre
Starting a Literary Career
After being released from prison, O'Connor worked many different jobs. He taught Irish and directed plays. Through his old teacher, Daniel Corkery, he met Lennox Robinson. Robinson worked for the Carnegie Trust and hired O'Connor to help set up libraries in the countryside. O'Connor worked in Sligo and Wicklow.
He also met and became friends with George William Russell (known as Æ). Russell encouraged O'Connor to send him his writings. Russell also introduced O'Connor to many famous Irish writers. These included W. B. Yeats, F. R. Higgins, and Augusta Gregory. O'Connor later wrote about how much Yeats and Russell helped him.
In December 1928, O'Connor moved to Dublin. He became a librarian at the Pembroke District Library.
Working at the Abbey Theatre
In 1935, O'Connor joined the board of directors for the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. This famous theatre was started by Yeats and others. In 1937, O'Connor became the managing director.
After Yeats passed away in 1939, O'Connor had disagreements with other board members. He left the Abbey Theatre later that year.
Teaching in America
In the 1950s, O'Connor was invited to teach in the United States. Many of his short stories had been published in The New Yorker magazine there. They were very popular. He spent much of the 1950s in the U.S., but he always planned to return to Ireland.
Later Years and Passing
Frank O'Connor's Death
In 1961, O'Connor had a stroke while teaching at Stanford University. He later passed away from a heart attack in Dublin, Ireland, on 10 March 1966. He was buried in Deans Grange Cemetery on 12 March 1966.
His Family Life
In 1939, O'Connor married Evelyn Bowen. They had two sons and one daughter. They later separated in 1953. O'Connor then married Harriet Rich of Baltimore. He met her while teaching at Northwestern University. They had one daughter together.
Frank O'Connor's Writings
Exploring O'Connor's Work
Frank O'Connor was most famous for his many short stories. But he also wrote as a literary critic, essay writer, and travel writer. He translated old Irish poems and wrote biographies. He was also a novelist, poet, and playwright.
O'Connor started his writing career in 1922. He began by translating poetry and writing articles about early Irish poets. He also wrote book reviews and his own poems and stories. Much of his early work appeared in Æ's magazine, Irish Statesman.
From the early 1930s until his death in 1966, he wrote a lot. He published about 160 short stories and translated about 120 Irish poems. He also wrote around 10 plays, 2 novels, and many non-fiction books. These non-fiction works covered topics like literary criticism, travel, Irish culture, and biographies.
His work as an Irish teacher helped him translate many Irish poems into English. One famous translation was of Brian Merriman's Cúirt an Mheán Oíche (The Midnight Court).
Stories from His Own Life
Many of O'Connor's stories were based on his own experiences. For example, his well-known story The Man of the House shares details from his childhood in County Cork. In this story, the Sullivan family, like his own family, did not have a strong father figure.
Another character, Larry Delaney, often tells stories that remind readers of O'Connor's own life. O'Connor's time in the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War also appeared in his writing. He wrote The Big Fellow, a biography of Irish leader Michael Collins, in 1937. His famous short story Guests of the Nation (1931) also reflects these war experiences.
O'Connor wrote about his early life in his memoir An Only Child (1961). It reads like a very detailed diary. U.S. President John F. Kennedy once shared a story from An Only Child in a speech. He said O'Connor wrote about how he and his friends would throw their hats over a high wall. Then, they had no choice but to follow them. President Kennedy used this story to explain how America had to explore space once it started.
O'Connor continued his life story in My Father's Son. This book was published after he died in 1968. It describes many important Irish writers of the 1930s, especially Yeats and Russell.
Celebrating Frank O'Connor's Legacy
The Frank O'Connor Festival and Prize
Since 2000, the Munster Literature Centre in Cork, O'Connor's hometown, has held a festival. This festival celebrates the short story. It is the longest-running annual festival for short stories in English-speaking countries.
The festival hosts readings, workshops, and classes for writers. It also celebrates the work of O'Connor and other local short story writers. These include Elizabeth Bowen, Seán Ó Faoláin, and William Trevor.
Many famous writers have given readings at the festival. Some of these include Richard Ford, Anne Enright, Etgar Keret, and Jhumpa Lahiri. The festival also helps new writers at the start of their careers.
The Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award is given at the festival. It honors the best collection of short stories published in English each year. This award is known as "the richest prize for the short story form." In 2010, it was worth €35,000, making it one of the most valuable literary prizes.
See also
- Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award
- List of people on stamps of Ireland
