Gerard Beirne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerard Beirne
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| Born | October 30, 1962 County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Citizenship | Irish, Canadian |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin |
| Notable awards | Sunday Tribune New Irish Writer of the Year, 1996 |
| Spouse |
Eilish Cleary
(m. 1989; div. 2015) |
| Children | 4, including Luke Francis Beirne |
Gerard Beirne is an Irish author and editor. He writes many kinds of stories and poems. He also helps other writers by editing their work. He is a fiction editor for The Fiddlehead magazine. He also runs an online magazine called The Irish Literary Times.
In 2008, Mr. Beirne was a special Writer in Residence at the University of New Brunswick. This means he lived there and taught creative writing. Today, he teaches writing at the Atlantic Technological University in Sligo, Ireland.
Contents
Awards and Recognitions
Gerard Beirne has won many important awards for his writing. These awards show how talented he is.
Early Achievements
In 1996, Mr. Beirne won two special awards. These were the Hennessey Literary Awards. He was named "New Irish Writer of the Year." He also won "Best Emerging Fiction Writer." This means he was a promising new author.
His first novel, The Eskimo in the Net, was very popular. It was chosen as Book of the Year by the Daily Express newspaper. It was also a finalist for the 2004 Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award.
Poetry and Film Success
In 1997, his poetry book Digging My Own Grave was a runner-up. It almost won the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award.
A short film was made from his story "Sightings of Bono." This film came out in 2000. The famous singer Bono from the band U2 even starred in it!
Mr. Beirne also worked with composer Siobhán Cleary. They created a show called Hum. The Irish Times newspaper said it was "a theatrical tour de force." This means it was a very powerful and exciting show.
Recent Awards
In 2016, his first collection of short stories was nominated. It was called In a Time of Drought and Hunger. It was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award. This award is for short story collections.
In the same year, he was also nominated for another award. This was the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards. He was recognized for his short story "What a River Remembers of its Course."
His Written Works
Gerard Beirne has written many books. These include novels, short stories, and poetry. He has also written for theatre and film.
Novels
- The Eskimo in the Net. Published in London in 2003.
- Turtle. Published in Ottawa in 2009.
- Charlie Tallulah. Published in Ottawa in 2013.
- The Thickness of Ice. Published in Montreal in 2024.
Short Story Collections
- In a Time of Drought and Hunger. Published in Ottawa in 2015.
Poetry Books
- Digging My Own Grave. Published in Dublin in 1997.
- Games of Chance: A Gambler's Manual. Published in Ottawa in 2011.
- The Death Poems: Songs, Visions, Meditations. Published in Cromer in 2023.
Theatre and Film Projects
- Hum! This was a collaboration with Siobhán Cleary. The Irish Chamber Orchestra first asked for it in 1998. The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra performed it again in 2020.
- Sightings of Bono. This was a film made by Parallel Productions in 2000. Bono himself was in it.
