Michael Harding (born 1953) is an Irish writer.

Biography

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Harding was born and raised in Cavan, Ireland. He went to St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, initially graduating as a lay graduate. He then taught for two years in St. Patrick's College in Cavan Town, then worked as a social worker in a prison. He returned to Maynooth as a seminarian and was ordained in 1980, after which he went to work in a parish in Fermanagh. He left the priesthood in 1985,[1] then spent seventeen years practising Buddhism.[citation needed]

He is married to the sculptor Cathy Carman (whom he first met in 1984) and they have a daughter Sophia and a son, Simon. He lives in Tarmon, County Leitrim.[citation needed]

Work

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He is an active writer of novels and poetry. He is a regular columnist with The Irish Times. He was Writer in Association with The Abbey Theatre in 1993 and was Writer in Residence at Trinity College Dublin, in 1999.[2]

Publications

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Novels

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  • Priest (1986)
  • The Trouble With Sarah Gullion (1988)
  • Bird in the Snow (2008)

Plays

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  • Strawboys, Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1987
  • Una Pooka, Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1989
  • Misogynist, Abbey Theatre, 1990
  • Burying Brian Boru, Theatre Omnibus, 1990
  • Where the Heart is, Project Arts Centre, 1993
  • Hubert Murray's Widow, Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1993
  • The Kiss, Project Arts Centre, 1994
  • Ceacht Houdini, Amharclann de hIde, 1994
  • Backsides to the Wind, Red Kettle, 1995
  • Sour Grapes, Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1997
  • Amazing Grace, Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1998
  • Bog Dances, Steve Wickham and Shake the Spear Theatre @ Dunamaise Arts Centre, 2000
  • Sleeping a Lovesong, Project Arts Centre, 2002
  • Talking Through His Hat, Dublin Fringe Festival @ The Focus, 2002
  • Swallow, Gare St Lazare Players @ Dublin Fringe Festival, 2003
  • Birdie Birdie, for Blue Raincoat Theatre, 2004
  • Tearmann for Siamsa Tire, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland, 2006
  • The Tinker's Curse, Livin' Dred Theatre Company, 2007.
  • Is There Balm in Gilead? Pavilion Theatre Dublin, 2007

Other

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  • Staring at Lakes (winner of the Bord Gais Energy Book of the Year Award
  • Hanging with the Elephant
  • Talking with Strangers
  • On Tuesdays I'm a Buddhist (2017)
  • Chest Pain, A man, a stent and camper van (2019)

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Michael P. Harding - Biography.
  2. ^ a b Michael Harding Archived 2007-10-20 at the Wayback Machine, Irish Writers Online.