Irish Authors Trivia Quiz

Answer: Brooklyn

"Brooklyn" opens in Enniscorthy, a rural town in Co. Wexford which was where the author spent his childhood. It follows the fortunes of Eilís (eye-leesh) Lacey in '50s Ireland, a time when many more emigrated due to lack of employment particularly in rural areas. Eilís, in transition from girlhood to womanhood, moves to Brooklyn with the help of a Catholic priest and finds it difficult to adapt to her new life. She returns home and difficult decisions must be made.

The book was long listed for the Man Booker Prize.

Answer: Roddy Doyle

"Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha" was published in 1993, and chronicles a year in the life of a 10 year old Dublin boy and his relationships with those around him during the late '60s. It is written in the vernacular, as are most of Doyle's books. The story, rather than following a linear format, is told in a series of scenes which can appear quite random to the reader.

Roddy taught English and Geography at secondary level in his home country. His books are predominantly set in or around Dublin, with the text being very dialogue centred. He has also written a number of children's books.

Each of "The Barrytown Trilogy" made it the big screen, the most famous of which being "The Commitments".

Answer: Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy worked for "The Irish Times", both in Dublin and London. She was a prolific author of novels, short stories and novellas, and also authored one play. She appeared to view herself as a story teller more than a specific category of writer. Her books are full of warmth and humour, and a number of her characters made appearances in more than one of her books.

Answer: Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia not only has a famous father, her brother-in-law is Nicky Byrne, a member of the former boy band Westlife. She was co-creator of the short lived sitcom "Samantha Who".

Ahern's novels would be viewed as being part of the Chick Lit movement.

Answer: Edna O'Brien

O'Brien's first book, "The Country Girls", was published in 1960. It was banned immediately in Ireland due to its sexual content. Her own Parish Priest burned the book. It was set in '50s Ireland, a place and time of sexual repression due largely to the power the Catholic Church was allowed to wield. It tells the story of two friends, Cait and Baba, who leave home to find work in the big city, and describes their experiences along the way.

Edna was living in London with her husband (Ernest Gébler) when the book was published. The novel won the Kingsley Amis Award in 1962. Edna has also written biographical and autobiographical material.

Edna trained as a pharmacist.

Answer: The Sea

"The Book of Evidence" was shortlisted in 1989 but lost out to Kazuo Ishiguro's "The Remains of the Day".

"The Sea" won the prize in 2005, once again being up against a Kazuo Ishiguro novel; this time it was "Never Let Me Go". The book, narrated in the first person, is made up of the memoirs of Max Morden, particularly surrounding specific events in his life from a family summer holiday as a child where he met the Graces, the period leading up to the death of his wife and how his life is now. Banville also wrote the screenplay, which became a film in 2013.

Answer: The Importance of Being Earnest

"The Importance of Being Earnest" is a farcical comedy. It was first performed in 1895 in London. Many critics at the time suggested the play missed an opportunity to question issues of social injustice and inequality and thus, whist humourous, was essentially shallow in content; however, there were also those who just enjoyed it for what it was. Audiences appeared to love the play and it was certainly a success until Wilde's private life came to public attention.

The Marquess of Queensbury (yes, the same one of the boxing rules fame) had plans to upset opening night, a forewarned Wilde ensured the Marquess would not be permitted to enter the theatre. Oscar had been having an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, a younger man and son of the 9th Marquess. John Douglas was a loud man whom, it would appear, had no problem in publicly degrading anyone he disagreed with. He verbally attacked Wilde at every possible opportunity. Finally he wrote that Wilde was "posing as a sodmite" [sic] on a calling card which, at a time when homosexuality was illegal, gave Oscar little choice but to sue for libel. The case resulted in the playwright's bankruptcy, the closure of the play and Wilde being charged and convicted of gross indecency in a criminal case. He was sentenced to two years hard labour, which destroyed his health, and subsequently died whilst exiled in France in 1890 at the age of 47.

Fingal O'Flahertie Wills were Wilde's middle names.

Answer: George Bernard Shaw

Shaw won an Oscar in 1938 for "Pygmalion", predating the musical "My Fair Lady", which was only produced after the writer's death as he refused to have any of his plays set to music after "The Chocolate Soldier", based on "Arms and the Man". He gave permission for "The Chocolate Soldier", as long as they changed the dialogue and characters' names.

Shaw received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926 but was awarded it for 1925.

Shaw was also a well known Socialist and as such was a member of The Fabian Society. He was also a vegetarian.

Answer: James Joyce

Barnacle was used as a blue print for a number of Joyce's female creations, perhaps the most famous of which was Molly Bloom in "Ulysses".

Joyce and Barnacle met in 1904 and had a very famous date which would later be written of in "Ulysses". Barnacle was a Galway native working at a hotel in Dublin. Joyce appeared to become quite obsessed with her straight away, with all evidence pointing to the feeling being mutual. They lived together in Trieste, Zurich and Paris, producing a son and daughter in the early years. They finally married in 1931, which shocked a number of people who believed they had married a long time previously.

Answer: The Hostage

In 1957 Gael-Linn (an organisation promoting the Irish language) asked Brendan to write a play in Irish for their theatre. "An Giall", a one act play, was the result. It was performed for the first time on June 16th, 1958 in Dublin. Joan Littlewood, an English producer asked Behan to translate the play so she could stage a production in England. In October of '58 "The Hostage" premiered at The Theatre Royal in Stratford. The English version differed somewhat from the original Irish language play in length and number of cast.

Brendan was a wise man in some ways, notably saying, "A man is already halfway in love with any woman who listens to him". Sadly he passed away at the young age of 41 from a combination of factors related to alcoholism, the predominant one being diabetes.