Brian Lynch
Brian Lynch was born in 1945 in Dublin, where he still lives. His first book of poems Endsville (with Paul Durcan) was published in 1967. New and Renewed – Poems 1967-2004 was published by New Island in 2005.
Amongst his eleven books of verse is a translation, Paul Celan: 65 Poems (Raven Arts Press 1986). Samuel Beckett nominated him for election to Aosdána in 1985, praising his “exceptional talent”. He is also a dramatist for stage, screen and television.
Crooked in the Car Seat was nominated for Best Play in the 1979 Dublin Theatre Festival. A four-part RTE and Channel 4 TV series about German spies in Ireland, Caught in a Free State, won a Jacobs Award and the Banff International TV Festival Best Drama Award in 1984.
Love and Rage, a feature film starring Greta Scacchi and Daniel Craig, was directed by Cathal Black in 1998.
His book on the artist Tony O’Malley (New Island) is now in its third edition.
His first novel, The Winner of Sorrow, based on the life of the poet William Cowper (1731-1800), was published in Ireland by New Island Books in 2005 and in America by the Dalkey Archive Press in 2009.
Dear Brian,
two weeks ago in Dublin I met David O’Donoghue by chance. He sent me his book “The Devil’s Deal-The IRA; Nazi Germany and the double life of Jim O’Donovan”. It reminded me so much of “Caught in a Free State” and I found it extremely strange to be reminded of that particular historical issue. But, one detail struck me. On the front page of the book there is a photo of Herrmann Görtz funeral – his coffin being draped in a flag with an obviously handmade Swastika on it. I could not remember that this emblem was also used in the RTE series. When Peter is back from Newsealand I will ask him also about that.
I hope you are well and vital and productive
Kindest regards Heiko (David O’D..mentioned “Eastersnow”)
I would like to buy a copy of Pity the Wicked. Please let me know how to do so. Thanks
Pat Cullen