John Boyd (playwright) facts for kids

John Boyd (1912–2002) was a talented writer, radio producer, and teacher from Northern Ireland. He was known for writing plays that sounded just like the people from working-class Belfast. Many people thought he was one of Northern Ireland's most important playwrights. He also helped other famous writers, like Seamus Heaney, get started in their careers.

Early Life and School

John Boyd was born on July 19, 1912, in a working-class part of east Belfast. He was the first of three children. His father, Robert Boyd, worked as a fireman on steam engines and later became a train driver.

John went to Mountpottinger elementary school. He was very smart and won a special award called a scholarship to attend the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. Later, he won another scholarship to go to Queen's University Belfast.

When he was young, his aunt and uncle introduced him to plays and books about the labour movement. These ideas stayed important to him throughout his life. After finishing university, he worked in a factory for a short time in England. He also taught privately and worked at a school for young people who didn't have jobs in Belfast.

In 1939, John married Elizabeth McCune. They had two sons and one daughter. After getting married, he started teaching at Lisburn Intermediate School.

Later, John studied more and earned a special degree called a B.Litt. from Trinity College Dublin. He wrote about the work of Forrest Reid, a writer from Belfast whose stories about Ulster inspired him.

A Career in Culture

In the early 1940s, John Boyd wrote many articles for a newspaper called the Irish Democrat. He didn't use his name for these articles. In 1943, he helped start a literary magazine called Lagan with his friend, writer Sam Hanna Bell. This magazine was published from 1943 to 1946 and aimed to support writing and culture in Northern Ireland.

John became a key person in Belfast's cultural scene. He knew many other important writers and artists, including Roy McFadden and Joseph Tomelty.

After World War 2, the BBC started broadcasting locally again. John became a producer for their radio shows in Belfast. While working at the BBC, he found it hard to write his own stories or be openly involved in politics. But he still enjoyed his more than twenty years there. He met many important cultural and political people in Northern Ireland. During this time, he wrote a chapter about 'Ulster Prose' for a book called The Arts in Ulster. In 1954, he changed St John Ervine's play Mrs Martin's Man so it could be performed on stage.

In the late 1960s, John also produced some television shows. He retired from the BBC in 1972 when he was 60 years old. He wanted to focus on his writing. From 1971, he edited Threshold, the literary magazine for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. He also helped choose which plays the theatre would perform as their literary adviser. In this role, he encouraged new playwrights like Stewart Parker.

Many of John's plays were performed at the Lyric Theatre. Some of these include The Farm (1972), Guests (1974), The Street (1977), and Round the Big Clock (1992).

Writing About The Troubles

John Boyd's 1971 play, The Flats, was very important. It was the first play to be set during a difficult time in Northern Ireland's history known as The Troubles. This play was extremely popular. It was performed by the Lyric Players in March 1971. It was also shown in Derry and Dublin in 1973. In 1975, it was even shown on television. Later, in 1980, it was performed in the Irish language in Dublin.

John also wrote two books about his own life. A novel he wrote, Across the Bitter Sea, was published after he passed away.

Later Life and Impact

John Boyd passed away in Belfast in July 2002, when he was almost 90 years old. He had collected many personal items, letters, and writings throughout his life. This collection has been very interesting to people who study literature and history.

One special item is a rare recording of writer Frank O'Connor talking about his childhood. Another is a copy of James Joyce's famous book Ulysses. John had to secretly bring this book into Ireland to stop customs officials from taking it, as it was considered a forbidden book at the time.

Today, John Boyd is seen as an important person in Northern Ireland. His friendships and support helped connect different groups of people. He is perhaps best remembered for the books he wrote about his own life. John's collection is now part of the Northern Ireland Literary Archive at the Linen Hall Library. They describe him as "a key figure in the development of a literary culture in Northern Ireland."

In 2003, a special event was held at the Lyric Theatre to remember John Boyd. In 2008, an exhibition about his life and work was held at the Linen Hall Library.

Works

Plays

• The Flats (1974)
• Collected Plays, 2 volumes (1981; 1982)

Autobiography

• Out of My Class (1985)
• The Middle of My Journey (1990)

Novel

• Across the Bitter Sea (2006)