Flann O'Brien

Flann O’Brien was born in Strabane, Co Tyrone. His father was a customs officer but also very pro-Irish and grew up speaking Irish at home as no schools in the area taught Irish. His father was transferred to Dublin when Flann was a boy of 12 years of age where he developed a talent and passion for writing at Blackrock College, Co. Dublin. After his father’s death, Flann helped his mother, financially supporting her and his 11 siblings.

His most celebrated novel ‘At Swim-Two-Birds’ was published in 1939, was hailed critically, and much relished by James Joyce, but it sold poorly. For twenty years Flann O’Brien contributed a humorous column ‘Cruiskeen Lawn’ to the ‘Irish Times’. Some of the material was simply humorous – puns, word games, fantasies, and anecdotes – satirically directed against politicians, bureaucrats, and mediocrities in office. A series of accidents and illnesses led to bouts of drunkenness, and when, in 1953, it was felt that his attacks on establishment figures in his column could no longer be ignored he was persuaded to retire from the Civil Service. In 1960, the re-issue of ‘At Swim-Two-Birds’ brought tremendous success, restored his confidence, and he went on to produce more best-selling novels.

Flann O’Brien was an alcoholic and suffered from poor health throughout his life, developing throat cancer. He died of a heart attach on April 1st (April Fools Day) in 1966.

A commemorative Google Doodle was created for Flann in 2021 to mark the 101st anniversary of his birth. His life and works were celebrated on BBC Radio 4’s Great Lives.