Mervyn Wall facts for kids
Mervyn Wall (1908–1997) was an Irish writer who was born in Dublin. He is best known for his funny fantasy novels about a monk named Fursey. Wall had an interesting career, working in government, radio, and for the Arts Council. His wife, Frances Feehan, was a well-known critic of theatre and music.
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Mervyn Wall's Life and Work
Mervyn Wall wrote many different things, including novels, short stories, and plays. He also wrote for a literary magazine called Ireland Today for a short time.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Wall worked as a civil servant, which means he worked for the government, from 1934 to 1948. After that, he worked for Radio Éireann (Ireland's national radio station) from 1948 to 1957. From 1957 to 1975, he was the Secretary of the Arts Council, an organization that supports arts and culture.
The Funny Adventures of Fursey
Mervyn Wall wrote two very popular and funny fantasy novels. These books are about a monk named Fursey and his many adventures in Ireland during the Dark Ages. The two books are called The Unfortunate Fursey and The Return of Fursey.
People in North America have highly praised the Fursey novels. E. F. Bleiler, an expert on fantasy stories, called The Unfortunate Fursey a "landmark book in the history of fantasy." This means it was a very important and influential book in the fantasy genre. Another writer, Darrell Schweitzer, said that Wall was "one of the finest comic fantasists ever." This shows how much people enjoyed his humorous writing style. The author Parke Godwin even described both Fursey novels as "pure gold."
Mervyn Wall's Books and Plays
Mervyn Wall wrote several novels and plays throughout his career.
Novels by Mervyn Wall
- The Unfortunate Fursey, published in 1946
- The Return of Fursey, published in 1948
- Leaves for Burning, published in 1952
- No Trophies Raise, published in 1956
- Hermitage, published in 1982
- The Garden of Echoes, published in 1982
Plays by Mervyn Wall
- Alarm among the Clerks, first performed in 1940
- The Lady in the Twilight, first performed in 1971
Other Writings
- A Flutter of Wings, a collection of short stories, published in 1974
- Forty Foot Gentlemen Only, a history book, published in 1963
