J. P. Donleavy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
J. P. Donleavy
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Donleavy appearing on After Dark in 1991
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| Born |
James Patrick Donleavy
23 April 1926 |
| Died | 11 September 2017 (aged 91) Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland
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| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin |
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| Known for | The Ginger Man A Fairy Tale of New York |
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| Children | 2 children, 2 stepchildren |
| Awards | Bord Gáis Lifetime Achievement Award |
James Patrick Donleavy (born April 23, 1926 – died September 11, 2017) was a writer from America and Ireland. He wrote novels, short stories, and plays. His most famous book is The Ginger Man. This book was first considered controversial by some.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Patrick Donleavy was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1926. His parents, Margaret and Patrick Donleavy, were immigrants from Ireland. He grew up in the Bronx. His father worked as a firefighter.
Donleavy went to different schools in the United States. He joined the U.S. Navy and served during World War II. After the war, he moved to Ireland. In 1946, he started studying bacteriology at Trinity College Dublin. He left the college in 1949 before finishing his degree.
Writing Career
Donleavy's first published story was A Party on Saturday Afternoon. It appeared in a Dublin magazine called Envoy in 1950.
The Ginger Man and Other Works
He became well-known for his first novel, The Ginger Man, published in 1955. This book is considered one of the 100 best novels by Modern Library. The book was not allowed in Ireland and the United States for a time. The main character, Sebastian Dangerfield, was partly based on Donleavy's friend, Gainor Crist.
Some of Donleavy's early books are sometimes linked to a group of writers called the "Angry Young Men". Another one of his novels, A Fairy Tale of New York, gave its name to a famous song.
Awards and Recognition
In 2007, Donleavy was featured on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs. Guests on this show talk about their lives and choose music they would want if they were stranded on a desert island.
In 2015, he received the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award. This award was given at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards. In 2016, Trinity College Dublin gave him an honorary doctorate degree. This is a special award that honors his achievements.
Personal Life
Donleavy said he was an atheist when he was 14 years old. In 1946, he married Valerie Heron. They had two children, Philip and Karen. They later divorced in 1969.
In 1970, he married Mary Wilson Price. This marriage ended in 1989.
From 1972, Donleavy lived in a country house called Levington Park. It was located on 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land near Mullingar, County Westmeath, in Ireland. Many of his close friends called him Mike.
James Patrick Donleavy passed away on September 11, 2017, at the age of 91.
Images for kids
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Donleavy appearing on After Dark in 1991
