William Boyle (Irish writer) facts for kids
William Boyle (born April 25, 1853 – died March 6, 1923) was an Irish writer. He wrote plays and short stories. His work often showed the lives of farm people in County Louth, Ireland. This was during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
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Who Was William Boyle?
William Boyle was born in a small village called Dromiskin. He went to school at St Mary's College in Dundalk. He first worked as a teacher. Later, he joined the government service, working in customs. He spent most of his working life in Great Britain. Boyle was also friends with two important Irish leaders, Charles Stewart Parnell and John Redmond.
Boyle's Early Writing
Boyle joined the Irish Literary Society in London. He became known for his stories and funny poems. These were printed in newspapers and magazines. In 1899, he published a collection of short stories called A Kish of Brogues. A writer named Norman Jeffares said that Boyle was very good at creating believable characters in his stories.
William Boyle's Plays
William Boyle became a playwright, writing five comedies for the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. These plays were about the everyday lives of people from Louth. The first three plays were very popular and were performed many times at the Abbey Theatre.
Popular Plays at the Abbey Theatre
Norman Jeffares said that Boyle was one of the most liked early playwrights at the Abbey Theatre. Jeffares thought Boyle's best play was The Building Fund, which came out in 1905. This play was a good look at how greed can affect people.
Boyle also wrote The Eloquent Dempsey (1906). In this play, he made fun of political tricks. Another play from 1906 was The Mineral Workers. This play showed what happened when an Irish-American engineer, full of new ideas, came back home. He faced people who did not like change.
Later Plays and Health
Later plays, like Family Failing (1912) and Nic (1916), were not as successful. They did not have the same energy as his earlier works.
Around 1920, Boyle wrote a one-act comedy called Tongue-Tied. In January 1921, he wrote a letter saying he was too unwell to give a lecture. William Boyle died a little over two years later in Dulwich, England.
Select Works
- A Kish of Brogues (1899) - a collection of short stories
- Comic Capers, Pictures by H. B. Neilson, Verses by William Boyle (1903)
- Christmas at the Zoo: Described in Verse by William Boyle, with Coloured Illustrations by H. B. Neilson (1904)
- The Building Fund (1905) - a play
- The Eloquent Dempsey (1906) - a play
- The Mineral Workers (1906) - a play
- Family Failing (1912) - a play
- Nic (1916) - a play
