Kevin Barry (writer)

{{Infobox person

| name = Kevin Barry

| image = Kevin Barry, November 2024.jpg

| caption = Barry in November 2024

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|12|01}}

| birth_place = Limerick, Ireland

| occupation = Writer

| notable_works = City of Bohane
Beatlebone
Night Boat to Tangier

| awards = {{plainlist|

}}

Kevin Barry (born 1 December 1969) is an Irish writer. He is the author of three collections of short stories and four novels. City of Bohane (2011) was the winner of the 2013 International Dublin Literary Award, the world's most valuable annual literary fiction prize for books published in English. Beatlebone (2015) won the 2015 Goldsmiths Prize and his 2019 novel Night Boat to Tangier was longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/books/booker-longlist-margaret-atwood.html |title=Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie in Running for Booker Prize |last=Marshall |first=Alex |date=23 July 2019 |website=The New York Times |access-date=26 November 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/booker-prize-2019-longlist-authors-margaret-atwood-salman-rushdie-winner-a9018076.html |title=Booker Prize longlist includes Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie and Oyinkan Braithwaite |last=O'Connor |first=Roisin |date=23 July 2019 |website=The Independent |access-date=26 November 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2019-07-24/booker-prize-longlist-margaret-atwood-salman-rushdie-valeria-luiselli |title=Booker Prize longlist includes Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Valeria Luiselli |last=Schaub |first=Michael |date=24 July 2019 |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=26 November 2019}} Barry is also an editor of Winter Papers, an arts and culture annual.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/winter-papers-5-you-can-fling-open-any-page-and-find-something-to-curl-into-as-the-light-fades-38714917.html|title=Winter Papers 5: 'You can fling open any page and find something to curl into as the light fades'|website=independent|date=23 November 2019 |language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}

Biography

Born in Limerick, Barry spent much of his youth travelling, living in 17 addresses by the time he was 36. He lived variously in Cork, Santa Barbara, Barcelona, and Liverpool before settling in Sligo, purchasing and renovating a run-down Royal Irish Constabulary barracks. His decision to settle down was driven primarily by the increasing difficulty in moving large quantities of books from house to house.{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Barry|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/10/1|title=Once upon a life: Kevin Barry|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 September 2011|access-date=10 April 2011}} In Cork Barry worked as a freelance journalist, contributing a regular column to the Irish Examiner. Keen to become a writer, he purchased a caravan and parked it in a field in West Cork, spending the next six months writing what he described as a "terrible novel".

Barry has described himself as "a raving egomaniac", one of those "monstrous creatures who are composed 99 percent of sheer, unadulterated ego" and "hugely insecure and desperate to be loved and I want my reader to adore me, to a disturbing, stalkerish degree."{{cite news|first=Laurence|last=Mackin|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2011/0910/1224303616463.html|title=True characters: Kevin Barry, author|newspaper=The Irish Times|publisher=Irish Times Trust|date=10 September 2011|access-date=10 September 2011}} He is highly ambitious, saying: "I won't be happy until I'm up there, receiving the Nobel Prize".{{cite news|url=http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local/leader-interview-with-kevin-barry-1-2181685 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906211221/http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local/leader-interview-with-kevin-barry-1-2181685 |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 September 2012 |title=Leader Interview..with Kevin Barry |newspaper=Limerick Leader |date=1 November 2007 |access-date=1 November 2007 }} He confessed to "haunting bookshops and hiding" to "spy on the short fiction section and see if anyone's tempted by my sweet bait" and has also placed copies of his own work in front of books by other "upcoming" authors.{{cite news|url=http://www.theshortreview.com/authors/KevinBarry.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204052415/http://www.theshortreview.com/authors/KevinBarry.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=4 February 2013|title=Interview with Kevin Barry|work=The Short Review}}

In 2007 he won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature for his short story collection There Are Little Kingdoms (2007).{{cite news|url=http://www.tcd.ie/Communications/news/news.php?headerID=726&vs_date=2007-10-1 |title=Author Kevin Barry is awarded the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature 2007 |work=Trinity College Dublin |date=1 October 2007 |access-date=19 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716200636/http://www.tcd.ie/Communications/news/news.php?headerID=726&vs_date=2007-10-1 |archive-date=16 July 2012 }} In 2011 he released his debut novel City of Bohane,{{cite news|first=Scarlett|last=Thomas|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/may/14/city-bohane-kevin-barry-review|title=City of Bohane review|work=The Guardian|date=14 May 2011|access-date=14 May 2011}} which was followed in 2012 by the short story collection Dark Lies the Island. Barry won the International Dublin Literary Award for his novel City of Bohane in 2013.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0606/455043-kevin-barry/|title=Kevin Barry wins IMPAC Dublin literary award for City of Bohane|work=RTÉ|date=6 June 2013|access-date=6 June 2013}} When City of Bohane was shortlisted for the award in April 2013, Barry said: "Anything that keeps a book in the spotlight and keeps people talking about books is good. [...] And a prize with money attached to it has a lot of prestige."{{cite news|first=Rosita|last=Boland|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/kevin-barry-shortlisted-for-the-international-impac-dublin-literary-award-1.1353167|title=Kevin Barry shortlisted for the International Impac Dublin Literary Award: Limerick-born man the only Irish writer to make the shortlist, for his novel 'City of Bohane'|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=9 April 2013|access-date=9 April 2013}}{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Lavery|url=http://www.herald.ie/news/barry-in-line-to-win-100k-city-book-prize-29311231.html|title=Barry in line to win €100k city book prize|newspaper=Evening Herald|date=31 May 2013|access-date=31 May 2013}} He received €100,000 for winning the award.{{cite news|first=John|last=Spain|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/in-the-money-irish-writer-kevin-barry-scoops-100000-impac-literary-award-29326372.html|title=In the money: Irish writer Kevin Barry scoops €100,000 IMPAC literary award|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=6 June 2013|access-date=6 June 2013}} The prize jury included Salim Bachi, Krista Kaer, Patrick McCabe, Kamila Shamsie, Clive Sinclair and Eugene R. Sullivan.{{cite news|url=http://www.nrc.nl/boeken/2013/06/06/kevin-barry-wint-impac-dublin-literary-award-2013/|title=Kevin Barry wint IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2013|work=NRC|date=6 June 2013|access-date=6 June 2013}} Lord Mayor of Dublin Naoise Ó Muirí said he was "thrilled" that someone of "such immense talent [should] take home this year's award".{{cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/kevin-barry%E2%80%99s-city-of-bohane-wins-the-prestigious-impac-dublin-literary-award-940414-Jun2013/|title=Kevin Barry's City of Bohane wins the prestigious IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award|work=Journal.ie|date=6 June 2013|access-date=6 June 2013}} Ó Muirí also said the characters were "flamboyant and malevolent, speaking in a vernacular like no other."{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22795515|title=Irish author Kevin Barry wins Impac literary award|work=BBC News|date=6 June 2013|access-date=6 June 2013}} In November, 2015 Beatlebone won the £10,000 Goldsmiths Prize that aims to reward British and Irish fiction that breaks the mould or extends the possibilities of the novel form.Gatti, Tom (11 November 2015) [http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2015/11/kevin-barry-wins-goldsmiths-prize-2015-his-novel-beatlebone Kevin Barry wins the Goldsmiths Prize 2015 for his novel Beatlebone] New Statesman

The Gazette described him as: "If Roddy Doyle and Nick Cave could procreate, the result would be something like Kevin Barry."{{cite news|first=Laura|last=Farmer|url=http://thegazette.com/2013/06/02/search-no-longer-for-stories-about-quests-author-kevin-barry-has-you-covered/|title=Search no longer for stories about quests, author Kevin Barry has you covered|newspaper=The Gazette|date=2 June 2013|access-date=2 June 2013}}

Barry was the Ireland Fund Artist-in-Residence in the Celtic Studies Department of University of St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto in October 2010.{{cite web|title=SMC Sponsored Programs - Celtic Studies - Ireland Fund Artist-in-Residence Program - University of St. Michael's College|url=https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/students/celtic-artist-in-residence|website=stmikes.utoronto.ca|access-date=28 September 2017|archive-date=29 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929000921/https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/students/celtic-artist-in-residence/|url-status=dead}}

Awards and honours

= Literary awards =

Year	Work	Award	Category	Result
class="wikitable"
2007 \| There Are Little Kingdoms \|\| Rooney Prize for Irish Literature \|\| — \|\| {{won}} \|\|
2011 \| City of Bohane \|\| Costa Book Award \|\| First Novel \|\| {{sho}} \|\|
rowspan="2" \| 2012 \| Beer Trip to Llandudno \|\| Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award \|\| — \|\| {{won}} \|\| {{cite news \|title=The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award winner announcement Beer Trip to Llandudno \|url=http://www.booktrust.org.uk/prizes-and-awards/5}}{{cite news \|last=Flood \|first=Alison \|date=30 March 2012 \|title=Kevin Barry's tale of ale enthusiasts wins Sunday Times short story award \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/mar/30/kevin-barry-sunday-times-short-story-award \|access-date=30 March 2012 \|work=The Guardian}}
rowspan="2" \| City of Bohane	Authors' Club Best First Novel Award	—	{{won}}	{{cite web \|title=Best First Novel Award \| Authors' Club \|url=http://dolmanprize.wordpress.com/best-first-novel-award/ \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505190446/http://dolmanprize.wordpress.com/best-first-novel-award/ \|archive-date=5 May 2013 \|access-date=2013-02-26}}
rowspan="2" \| 2013 \| International Dublin Literary Award \|\| — \|\| {{won}} \|\| {{cite web \|author=Richard Lea \|date=7 June 2013 \|title=Kevin Barry wins Impac award \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jun/07/kevin-barry-impac-award \|access-date=7 June 2013 \|work=The Guardian}}
Dark Lies the Island	Edge Hill University Short Story Prize	—	{{won}}	{{cite web \|date=2013-07-04 \|title=Irish author Kevin Barry wins Edge Hill Prize \|url=http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2013/07/irish-author-kevin-barry-wins-edge-hill-prize-2013 \|access-date=25 June 2021 \|website=Edge Hill \|archive-date=3 April 2015 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403021045/http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2013/07/irish-author-kevin-barry-wins-edge-hill-prize-2013/ \|url-status=dead }}
2015 \| Beatlebone \|\| Goldsmiths Prize \|\| — \|\| {{won}} \|\|
2019 \| Night Boat to Tangier \|\| International Dublin Literary Award \|\| — \|\| {{nom\|Longlisted}} \|\|
2022 \| That Old Country Music \|\| Edge Hill University Short Story Prize \|\| — \|\| {{won}} \|\| {{cite web \|date=2021-02-02 \|title=Author Kevin Barry celebrates historic second Edge Hill Prize win - News \|url=https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2022/02/author-kevin-barry-celebrates-historic-second-edge-hill-prize-win/ \|access-date=4 February 2021 \|website=Edge Hill \|archive-date=4 February 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204090231/https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2022/02/author-kevin-barry-celebrates-historic-second-edge-hill-prize-win/ \|url-status=dead }}
2025 \| The Heart in Winter \|\| Walter Scott Prize \|\| — \|\| {{sho}} \|\| {{cite web \|title=2025 Shortlist announced from Abbotsford \|url=https://www.walterscottprize.co.uk/2025-shortlist-announced-from-abbotsford/ \|website=Walter Scott Prize \|access-date=19 April 2025 \|date=15 April 2025}}

= Honours =

2020: Elected member of Aosdána{{cite news |date=13 October 2020 |title=Kevin Barry among new members elected to Aosdána |url=https://www.hotpress.com/culture/kevin-barry-among-new-members-elected-to-aosdana-22829958 |access-date=15 August 2021 |work=Hot Press}}

Bibliography

=Novels=

City of Bohane (2011)
Beatlebone (2015)
Night Boat to Tangier (2019)
The Heart in Winter (2024)

= Short story collections =

There Are Little Kingdoms (2007)
Dark Lies the Island (2012)
That Old Country Music (2020)

= Short stories =

class='wikitable sortable'
\|Year !\|TitleShort stories unless otherwise noted. !\|First published !\|Reprinted/collected !\|Notes
2016 \|Deer Season \|{{cite magazine \|author=Barry, Kevin \|date=October 10, 2016 \|title=Deer Season \|magazine=The New Yorker \|volume=92 \|issue=32 \|pages=84–89 \|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/deer-season }} \|That Old Country Music \|
2018 \|The Coast of Leitrim \|{{cite magazine \|author=Barry, Kevin \|date=October 15, 2018 \|title=The Coast of Leitrim\|magazine=The New Yorker \|volume=94\|issue=32 \|pages=70–75 \|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/15/the-coast-of-leitrim }} \|That Old Country Music \|
2022 \|The Pub with No Beer \|{{cite magazine \|author=Barry \|first=Kevin \|date=Apr 11, 2022 \|title=The Pub with No Beer \|magazine=The New Yorker \|volume=98 \|issue=8 \|pages=50–52 \|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/04/11/the-pub-with-no-beer }} \| \|
2024 \|Finistère \|{{cite magazine \|author=Barry, Kevin \|date=8 April 2024 \|title=F\|magazine=The New Yorker \|volume=\|issue= \|pages= \|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/04/15/finistere-fiction-kevin-barry}} \| \|

class='wikitable sortable'

|Year

!|TitleShort stories unless otherwise noted.

!|First published

!|Reprinted/collected

!|Notes

2016

|Deer Season

|{{cite magazine |author=Barry, Kevin |date=October 10, 2016 |title=Deer Season |magazine=The New Yorker |volume=92 |issue=32 |pages=84–89 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/deer-season }}

|That Old Country Music

2018

|The Coast of Leitrim

|{{cite magazine |author=Barry, Kevin |date=October 15, 2018 |title=The Coast of Leitrim|magazine=The New Yorker |volume=94|issue=32 |pages=70–75

|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/15/the-coast-of-leitrim }}

|That Old Country Music

2022

|The Pub with No Beer

|{{cite magazine |author=Barry |first=Kevin |date=Apr 11, 2022 |title=The Pub with No Beer |magazine=The New Yorker |volume=98 |issue=8 |pages=50–52 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/04/11/the-pub-with-no-beer }}

2024

|Finistère

|{{cite magazine |author=Barry, Kevin |date=8 April 2024 |title=F|magazine=The New Yorker |volume=|issue= |pages=

|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/04/15/finistere-fiction-kevin-barry}}

References

External links

[https://archive.today/20130127120814/http://www.laurahird.com/newreview/therearelittlekingdoms.html Book review of There Are Little Kingdoms]
[http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/review-city-of-bohane-by-kevin-barry-2595328.html Review of City of Bohane]
[http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/review-short-stories-dark-lies-the-island-by-kevin-barry-3073747.html Review of Dark Lies the Island]
[http://nyjournalofbooks.com/review/dark-lies-island review of Dark Lies the Island], New York Journal of Books
[http://www.literaturfestival.com/archive/participants/authors/2015/kevin-barry?set_language=en Short biography] from the Berlin International Literature Festival

Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Irish novelists

Category:21st-century Irish male writers

Category:21st-century Irish short story writers

Category:Irish male novelists

Category:Irish male short story writers

Category:Writers from Limerick (city)

Category:The New Yorker people

Category:Goldsmiths Prize winners