Life
1938- ; b. 20 April; fiction writer and playwright; b. Cabra, Castleblayney,
Co. Monaghan, ed. St Macartan's College, Monaghan and TTC; teacher from
1958; also actor; filmscript, The Kinkisha (1978), for Kinship
films, 1976; Jacko, 1979, published in Martin Drury, ed., Three
Team Plays (Dublin: Wolfhound 1988); Its Handy When People Don't
Die (Poolbeg 1981) [stories], title story filmed 1982; Two Houses;
play for theatre in Education, produced by Team Theatre 1984, 1987, 1990;
Pláigh [in Irish](Reilt Theatre 1988); Celebration (National
Youth Th. 1989); Out of that Childhood Country (1992), play about
Patrick Kavanagh, with Tommy McArdle and Eugene MacCabe; also unpub. playscript,
Duff’s Disciples (1973) and Storyline Ireland [one
of four books for children by four authors] (Oliver Boyd 1988). OCIL
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Notes
Programme of Walter Reade Theatre (1994), gives account of The Kinkiska
(1977), dir. McArdle, 65 mins; a young woodsprite of a girl (Barbara
McNamara) sets an elaborate streamside trap for a little bird, whose blood
and body she needs to cure the curse of her kinkisha - a child born on
Pentecost that’s fated to kill or be killed; pregnancy has trapped
the girl into a loveless marriage, and help is not forthcoming from a
priest flustered by femaleness; an atmospheric and provocative mixture
of old magic and modern marital alienation. ALSO, It’s Handy When
People Don’t Die, McArdle (1980), 1000 mins, all the men of Wexford
set out to join 1798 Rebellion, blessed by wiseman and priest; Art, a
kind of fool of nature, remains to witness and wonder at the way communities
turn to bloodshed at the heady wine of legend; McArdle’s provocative,
moody film means to pin down the moment when ugly reality becomes brave
fiction; screened on archival print from Film Inst. of Ireland.
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Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco)