James Plunkett facts for kids

James Plunkett Kelly, also known as James Plunkett (born 21 May 1920 – died 28 May 2003), was a famous Irish writer. He went to school at Synge Street CBS in Dublin.

James Plunkett grew up in the working-class areas of Dublin. Many of the characters in his stories were inspired by the everyday people he knew. These included working-class families, middle-class people, and educated individuals. His most well-known works are the short stories found in his collection called The Trusting and the Maimed. He also wrote a radio play about James Larkin, an important figure in Irish history, who often appeared in Plunkett's writings.

Working in Television

During the 1960s, James Plunkett worked as a producer at Telefís Éireann, which is Ireland's national television station. He was very good at his job and won two special awards called Jacob's Awards. He received these awards in 1965 and 1969 for the excellent TV shows he produced.

In 1971, Plunkett created and presented a show called "Inis Fail - Isle of Destiny." This show was his personal view of Ireland. It was the last episode of a BBC series called "Bird's-Eye View." What made it special was that it was filmed entirely from a helicopter. It was also the first time the BBC and RTE worked together on a television production.

His Famous Books

James Plunkett wrote many different types of stories. He was a talented writer of radio plays, novels, and short stories.

Radio Plays

Plunkett wrote several radio plays, which are like plays but made for listening on the radio.

• Dublin Fusilier (March 1952)
• Mercy (June 1953)
• Homecoming (April 1954)
• Big Jim (1955)
• Farewell Harper (1956)

Novels

He also wrote longer stories called novels.

• Farewell Companions (1977)
• The Circus Animals (1990)

Short Story Collections

His short stories are very popular.

• The Trusting and the Maimed (1955)
• Collected Short Stories
• Janey Mary

Legacy

James Plunkett was a member of Aosdána, which is an Irish organization that honors artists who have made important contributions to the arts.

To honor his memory, a first-year class at his old school, Synge Street CBS, is named "1 Plunkett."