Brian Brennan (author)

{{Short description|Irish-Canadian author and historian}}

{{for|the Irish politician|Brian Brennan (politician)}}

{{COI|date=June 2018}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2015}}

Brian Anthony Brennan (October 4, 1943 - February 21, 2021) was an Irish-Canadian author and historian who specialized in books about the colourful personalities of Western Canada's past."Chronicler feels affection for Alberta's larger-than-life folks," by Dana McNairn, Edmonton Journal, Jan. 13, 2003"Rogues, rebels and 'little surprises'," by Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald, Oct. 3, 2015

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Born in Dublin, Ireland, he migrated to Canada in 1966 and had lived in Calgary, Alberta, since 1974. He spent 25 years as a staff writer with the Calgary Herald writing columns and feature stories."Critic-turned-author has led a charmed life," by Stephen Hunt, Calgary Herald, Sept. 17, 2011

Brennan was part of an attempt by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada to organize a union local for the newsroom and negotiate a first contract with the Calgary Herald. Before and during the eight-month strike by journalists in 1999 and 2000, Brennan was a member of the union's bargaining committee."[https://backofthebook.ca/2012/02/03/put-to-bed-the-strike-that-broke-the-news-at-the-calgary-herald/5801/ Put to bed: The strike that broke the news at the Calgary Herald."] When the strike ended in June 2000 with the dissolution of the union, he left the Herald to devote himself full-time to writing books. He was the first winner of the Dave Greber Freelance Writers Award,{{cite web|url=http://www.greberwritingaward.com|title=Dave Greber Freelance Writers Award, a Canadian writing contest with emphasis on social justice issues|website=www.greberwritingaward.com}} presented in 2004 for his book Romancing the Rockies.{{Cite web|url=http://www.greberwritingaward.com/links.htm|title = Dave Greber Freelance Writers Award, a Canadian writing contest with emphasis on social justice issues}}

A longtime National Council member of The Writers' Union of Canada, he quit the union in 2018 when the union executive supported a decision by the editor of the union magazine to kill a story about a writers' conference in San Miguel de Allende Mexico{{cite web |url=http://www.factsandopinions.com/galleries/art/san-miguel-de-allende-nafta-of-literary-festivals/ |title=San Miguel de Allende: "NAFTA of Literary Festivals" | Facts & Opinions |website=www.factsandopinions.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320093208/http://www.factsandopinions.com/galleries/art/san-miguel-de-allende-nafta-of-literary-festivals/ |archive-date=2018-03-20}} that she had commissioned Brennan to write.{{cite web|url=http://brianbrennan.ca/why-im-leaving-the-writers-union-of-canada/|title=Why I'm leaving The Writers' Union of Canada|date=May 26, 2018}}