In a Canadian
TV interview, Donleavy described himself as
"...a comfortably burned out volcano."
J.P.
Donleavy Art Exhibit in New York, a Success
The
JPD art exhibition/retrospective was held May, 2007 in New York City at the
National Arts Club. The show also featured works by daughter, Karen
Donleavy, who creates specialized, high-quality ceramics. For details go
to the JPD National Arts Club
page.
JPD
was the guest on Desert
Island Discs BBC 4 Sunday March 4, at 11:15 a.m. local time (Ireland). The
show was repeated Friday March 9 at 9:00 a.m. local time (Ireland). Kristy Young
hosts the popular show where celebrities are asked which 8 musical recordings
they would want with them if stranded on a desert island. The selections are
then played with discussion between selections.
JPD's picks.
J.P.
Donleavy Exhibit at UCLA Powell Library Rotunda
The
library's exhibit "God's Mercy: The Works of J.P. Donleavy From the Collection
of Lawrence Grobel"
was presented in April of 2006 and featured a wide array of JPD editions as
well as many letters. Grobel was asked why JPD signs correspondence with friends
as "Mike." He didn't have an answer. Mike was the nickname JPD received
while serving in the Navy during WWII. The name stuck, although for business
matters the name used remains J.P. Donleavy. Many thanks to Mr. Grobel for organizing
this event and lending so many items from his personal collection to display
for the students.
JPD
Dublin Art Exhibit a Sell-out!
JPD's
art exhibition and retrospective held February, 2006 at the Molesworth Gallery,
Dublin was a complete success, all works being sold!
Gala
Party in New York City Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Publishing of
The Ginger Man
On October 29 2005, a
party was held at The Ginger
Man Pub (owned and operated by Bob Precious) in New York to honor JPD
and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of The
Ginger Man. A grand time was had by all. Among the crowd was singer/songwriter
Shane MacGowan, lead man for The Pogues. Special thanks to Maike Schulz for
the excellent photography.
From
left to right: Philip Donleavy, Bob Precious (owner of the Ginger Man Pub) and
JP Donleavy. Photo © 2005 Maike Schulz
JPD
with Bob Mitchell and Bob's triplets.
Photo © 2005 Maike Schulz
JPD
reads from The Ginger Man and other selected works.
Photo © 2005 Maike Schulz
Shane
MacGowan performs for the gathering.
Photo © 2005 Maike Schulz
Miscellaneous
Bonhams
UK recently offered for sale a double portrait of JPD by Gordon Stuart. The
work is a crayon drawing on Ingres paper, dimensions 18 x 14 in.
The piece sold at auction for £2,600 plus premium and tax, roughly $4,775
U.S.
McDaids Bar on Harry Street,
just off Grafton Street, was a popular watering hole for JPD, Brendan Behan
and co. Thanks to John O' Mahony and Dave Phillips for providing information.
Photo courtesy, Charles Carter.
The infamous "Catacombs"
in post-WWII Dublin, where JPD, Behan and many of the creatives of the day
frequented, then had a dentist's office on the top floor with a brothel beneath.
A sign once read "Extractions above. Insertions below."
JPD
giving some insight into his work, while Charles Carter, Deborah Drylie and
other gallery patrons look on and a documentary film crew records the moment.
Photo by Charles Ruppmann.
J.P.
Donleavy returns to a legendary haunt
"The
Catacombs..."
...an RTÉ
Radio 1 broadcast, made and presented by Ciaran Cassidy. Back at the original
site, JPD,
Steve Willoughby, Joan De Frenay and Shelia Bradshaw talk about The Catacombs
and the people who frequented the now famous hub of post-war Bohemian Dublin.
First broadcast May 19, 2007. Replays of presentation are still available on
the RTÉ website
as of this posting.
Listen to
the show.
Author, playwright and
artist J.P. Donleavy - best known for his novel
The Ginger Man (which for the past fifty years has never been
out of print) - came to Trinity College after the war to take up student life:
drinking, partying, writing and painting. He befriended brendan Behan. Donleavy
opened the proceedings with a talk on Behan as he knew him.
Screened first was:
MEET THE QUARE FELLA - 1960
• BLACK & WHITE • 35 MIN.
This is a rare opportunity
to see the now infamous encounter between Eamonn Andrews and Brendan Behan.
Filmed in Ardmore studios, meet the Quare Fellas shows us a Behan obviously
at ease with his interviewer, who could, as much as Behan, play the archetypal
dubliner. Andrews elicits frank responses from his subject regarding the topics
of writing, fame, religion, his time in borstal and his Connections with the
clandestine IRA, resulting in a candid glimpse into the personality of Behan
towards the end of his life.
Screened second
was: BRENDAN BEHAN’S DUBLIN - 1966
• COLOUR • 27 MIN.
In Norman Cohen’s
poetic documentary, the spirit of the city is presented through the eyes of
one of its most talented and colourful Citizens. Written by Carolyn Swift
and featuring Ray McNally as the ‘voice of Behan’, the film is
evocatively photographed by Robert Monks with musical ballads sung by The
Dubliners. Interviews with Behan’s parents and wife add to the intimacy
of the piece.
Special thanks to Bill Dunn for sending this news report.
J.P.
Donleavy introduces an evening celebrating Brendan Behan
Watercolor
and ink portrait of Behan by J.P. Donleavy
(From the Irish Film Institute
Site)
July
18, 2007 - The Irish Film Archive screened two films made on this most gregarious
literary figure, beloved of Dublin, and with a legacy that is as much about
Behan as about his work.
Photo
courtesy The Irish Film Institute
Final
catalogue cover (this one signed by the artist) Photo courtesy of Damien Matthews
Fine Art and Mr. Donleavy.
Farmer
J.P. Donleavy takes a stand against Genetic Modification
Many
JPD fans don't know that he is an experienced farmer in addition to being a
novelist, playwright and painter. JPD has 170 acres surrounding his Levington
Park estate near Mullingar in County Westmeath, and he raises cattle on
them, the herd varying from 40 to 80 head. Concerned about the growing threat
of Genetic Modification in agriculture, JPD has gone on record to oppose such
scientific intrusion by declaring his estate the first GM-Free farm in Ireland.
See "The Agrarian Reforms of Organic Farmer J.P.
Donleavy" by Bill Dunn for more on this and JPD tractor rider in general.
June,
2004. JPD and friends making a public statement against Genetically Modified
farming. Photo by Photocall Ireland.
The book, sadly out of print [English-language editions since 1988] has been
being gobbled up at used bookstores lately, and at extremely high prices (I
saw a Delta paperback in only Good condition, being offered at $600 and change).
I had been trying to figure out why the prices of this title had gone through
the roof lately and was very grateful when Matthew W. Burris contacted the Compendium
with the GQ information. Many thanks, Matthew.
J.P.
Donleavy and Tom Stoppard headline Dublin Writers Festival 2008
The lineup for the Dublin
Writers Festival 2008, included special appearances by J.P. Donleavy
and Tom Stoppard. A group of over 40 Irish and international writers culled
from all disciplines gave readings, public interviews, talks and took part
in debates regarding their work. J.P. Donleavy took part in a retrospective
Q & A event with RTÉ radio at the Project Arts Centre.
Listen
to RTÉ radio broadcast
J.P.
Donleavy part of Dublin Salon
J.P.
Donleavy was among the artists exhibiting their work at a salon hosted by Jennie
Guy, June 20 - 22 at Studio 6 Temple Bar Galleries, Dublin 2. Performance artists,
writers & theorists also took part in the event. For more information visit
www.twovoicesmeet.com/salon.
J.P. Donleavy
Interviewed
J.P. Donleavy was interviewed
at the Athlone Literary Festival by Fintan'Toole. The interview was conducted
at 3:30, Saturday, September 20, at The Prince of Wales Hotel.
Athlone Literary Festival,
Custume Place Athlone, Co Westmeath
World's
largest Olympia Press collection sold at Christies
J.P. Donleavy
interviewed, then gives reading at All Ireland Poetry Day
JPD followed an interview
with a reading culled from his works, Dublin, October, 2008.
Prices
of The Unexpurgated Code copies skyrocket after
GQ mentions the book as the perfect gift for the one who has everything.
Maeve
Hickey exhibition to feature portrait of J.P. Donleavy
The portrait (left) of
J.P. Donleavy taken by Maeve Hickey at Donleavy's Levington Park estate, Mullingar,
County Westmeath, will be part of a exhibit called "America in Ireland."
The show will open November 18, 2008 at Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Boston,
Massachusetts in the Burns Library. Reception at 6pm.
The exhibition was funded by a grant from the Clinton Institute, UCD. Plans
are in the works to take the show to other locations, including Boston College,
Dublin, Ireland.
Visit Maeve's website:
www.maevehickey.com
J.P.
Donleavy at Levington Park, photographed by Maeve Hickey © 2008.
Larger
view
J.P.
Donleavy Guest of Honor at Queen's University, Belfast
J.P.
Donleavy was guest of honour at the Ulster Arts Club Annual Christmas Dinner
at the Great Hall, Queen's University, Belfast recently. Information courtesy
of Peter Mac Hugh, hononorary Secretary of the establishment. Special thanks
to Peter for this addition to the site.
J.P. Donleavy Compendium
selected as best author site on the web, 2009
I have been notified by
the editors of the Encylopedia Britannica that the J.P. Donleavy Compendium
site has been selected as the Web's best authors's site. The award icon is
a link to the Encylopedia Britannica information on JPD and includes a return
link to the Compendium. Needless to say, the site is but a house for the content,
so I share this award with Mr. Donleavy and thank him profusly for his excellent
work over the years which has made this award possible. And many thanks to
the editors at Encylopedia Britannica who chose the Compendium out of the
thousands of authors' sites for this prestigious award.
The Editor
J.P.
Donleavy adds works to local St. Patrick's Day exhibition
J.P.
Donleavy agreed to exhibit his art along with Mullingar's Brosna Art Group and
to attend the opening which took place Saturday, March 15, 2008 in the Barlo
Room at the Annebrook Hotel. Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland is where JPD
has been living for quite some time and he often takes part in the local cultural
scene.
The event, part of Mullingar's
St. Patrick's Day celebration, was officially opened Saturday, March 15 by
artist Ursula Meehan. The well-attended event was then open to the public
March 16-17.
Thanks to Virginia McGillycuddy,
assistant to Mr. Donleavy, for providing details.
J.P.
Donleavy art exhibition, Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, April 30 - May 9
Damien
Matthews Fine Art presented an exhibition of art by J.P. Donleavy at The Molesworth
Gallery 16 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, 01 679 1548, www.molesworthgallery.com
The show was comprised of 69 pieces representing J.P. Donleavy's work from
the 1950s to present. For more information visit the Compendium Molesworth
2008 exhibition page
Photo
© 2008 Bobbie Hanvey
J.P.
Donleavy gives an encore reading of "Remarks on Barry Flanagan"
J.P.
Donleavy's "Lobbing Hand Grenades:
Remarks on Barry Flanagan" a speech first given to open Mr. Flanagan's
sculpture exhibition June 27, 2006 at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, was repeated
at the Mullingar Arts Centre, November 30, 2007 for the IMMA to video tape the
talk for its archives.
Barry
Flanagan
"The
coms up", 1978
"Six-foot Leaping Hare on Empire State" 2002
"Bug", 2003
J.P.
Donleavy Ephemera Page Now Live
JPD
Ephemera (programmes, catalogues, posters, flyers and misc.).
J.P. Donleavy
in new book of writers who are also artists
The
Writer's Brush: Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture by Writers
by Donald Friedman | Cloth | Mid-List
Press, September 11, 2007 - ISBN 9780922811762
JPD included
in a collection of writers who are also artists. Other author/artists in this
collection include: Dostoevsky, Henry Miller, Joseph Conrad, W. B. Yeats,
e. e. cummings, Kurt Vonnegut, D. H. Lawrence, Sylvia Plath, Goethe, Hermann
Hesse, Vladamir Nabokov & John Updike.
"I
Love J.P. Donleavy" T-shirt now available.
Use
this shom.com
link for item details and ordering.
J.P. Donleavy-inspired pattern on COLOURlovers.com
COLOURlovers™,
a site that in their words: "...is a resource that monitors and influences
color trends. COLOURlovers gives the people who use color - whether for ad campaigns,
product design, or in architectural specification - a place to check out a world
of color, compare color palettes, submit news and comments, and read color related
articles and interviews." The site includes this JPD-influenced pattern.
