Joseph O'Connor | |
|---|---|
 O'Connor introducing the Czech translation of one of his books in 2008 | |
| Born | (1963-09-20)20 September 1963 (age 62) Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation | Novelist, journalist |
| Notable works | Star of the Sea (2002) |
| Spouse | Anne-Marie Casey |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Sinéad O'Connor (sister) |
| Website | |
| josephoconnorauthor | |
Joseph Victor O'Connor (born 20 September 1963) is an Irish novelist. His 2002historical novelStar of the Sea was an international number one bestseller. Before success as an author, he was a journalist with theSunday Tribune newspaper andEsquire.[1] He is a regular contributor toRTÉ and a member of the Irish artists' associationAosdána.[2]
O'Connor is the eldest of five children and brother of singerSinéad O'Connor. He is from theGlenageary area of south Dublin.[3][4] His parents are Sean O'Connor, a structural engineer who later turnedbarrister, and Marie O'Connor.
Educated atBlackrock College, O'Connor graduated fromUniversity College Dublin with an M.A. in Anglo-Irish Literature. He did post-graduate work atOxford University and received a second M.A. fromLeeds Metropolitan University'sNorthern School of Film and Television in screenwriting. In the late 1980s, he worked for the British Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign; his second novel,Desperadoes, drew on his experiences inrevolutionary Nicaragua.[5]
O'Connor's novelCowboys and Indians (1991) was on the shortlist for theWhitbread Prize.
On 10 February 1985 his mother was killed in a car accident.[6] The mother of his character Sweeney inThe Salesman (1998) died in the same manner.
In 2002, he wrote the novelStar of the Sea, whichThe Economist listed as one of the top books of 2003. His 2010 novel,Ghost Light is loosely based on the life of the actressMaire O'Neill, born Mary "Molly" Allgood, and her relationship with the Irish playwrightJohn Millington Synge. It was published byHarvill Secker of London in 2010.[7]
O'Connor was a Research Fellow at theNew York Public Library and Visiting Professor of Creative Writing/Writer in Residence atBaruch College, the City University of New York.[5]
In 2014, he was announced as the inauguralFrank McCourt Chair in Creative Writing at theUniversity of Limerick, where he teaches on the MA in Creative Writing.[8]
He was a regular contributor toDrivetime, an evening news and current affairs programme onRTÉ Radio 1.[9]
O'Connor'sShadowplay, published in 2019, was shortlisted for the 2019 Costa Book Prize in the Novel category.[citation needed]
O'Connor is married to television and film writerAnne-Marie Casey. They have two sons. He and his family have lived in London and Dublin, and occasionally resided in New York City.
| Year | Book | Award | Type | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Redemption Falls | Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award | — | Shortlisted | |
| 2009 | International Dublin Literary Award | — | Longlisted | ||
| 2011 | Ghost Light | Los Angeles Times Book Prize | Fiction | Shortlisted | |
| Walter Scott Prize | — | Shortlisted | [10] | ||
| 2012 | — | Irish PEN Award | — | Won | [11] |
| 2014 | The Thrill of It All | Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize | — | Shortlisted | |
| 2016 | International Dublin Literary Award | — | Longlisted | ||
| 2019 | Shadowplay | Costa Book Awards | Novel | Shortlisted | |
| Irish Book Award | Novel | Won | [12] | ||
| 2020 | Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award | Shortlisted | |||
| Walter Scott Prize | — | Shortlisted | |||
| 2021 | International Dublin Literary Award | — | Longlisted | ||
| 2023 | My Father's House | Irish Book Award | Novel | Nominee | |
| 2024 | International Dublin Literary Award | — | Longlisted | ||
| Walter Scott Prize | — | Longlisted |
