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.
New
JPD Books to be Published Soon
JPD
has several book projects in the works. One is the third book of his "New
York Stories" trilogy, of which the first and second titles are The
Lady Who Liked Clean Rest Rooms and Wrong Information is Being Given
Out at Princeton. The title of the new Novel is "A Letter Marked Personal."
A recent article has stated that the three "New York" books will be
packaged as a trilogy called "A Singular City." Check this page for
news as it becomes available. Also near publication is a novella, titled "The
Dog On the Seventeenth Floor." Visit the JPD
Works in Progress page for other information on possible forthcoming books.
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. In attendance were such
notables as actor Johnny Depp who is to play Sebastian Dangerfield in the
film adaptation of The Ginger Man.
Also present were singer/songwriter Shane MacGowan, lead man for The Pogues
and JPD's film producers Bob Mitchell and son Philip Donleavy. Special thanks
to Maike Schulz for the excellent photography.
Johnny
Depp with JP Donleavy amidst the celebrating crowd.
Photo © 2005 Maike Schulz
From
left to right: Philip Donleavy, Bob Precious (owner of the Ginger Man Pub) and
JP Donleavy. Photo © 2005 Maike Schulz
JPD
and Johnny Depp. 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 (and perhaps still is) a popular Donleavy watering
hole. Thanks to John O' Mahony and Dave Phillips for providing information.
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."
"Racy
Reads Becoming Popular Among Teens"
Sioux City Journal, May 6, 2007. by Dolly A. Butz
One teen participant in the study said, "I thought it was going to be a
chore when my high school English teacher demanded I read J.P. Donleavy rather
than trashy science fiction. Wrong. Sex to keep me interested. Literature to
educate me."
In an article by Elizabeth
Kiem, published in The Morning News, May 12, 2007, the writer tells of her
arrival at the gate to the grounds of JPD's
estate, Levington Park. A sign on the gate read:
MAD
BULL, HIGH VOLTAGE FENCING, WOLFHOUNDS.
NO ENTRY WITHOUT NOTIFICATION.
Fortunately,
Ms. Kiem had given notification and was not trampled by the mad bull,
electrocuted by the high voltage fencing, nor mauled by the wolfhounds.
Have
some JPD news or miscellany? Forward it to the Compendium. All contributors
will be credited and will receive reciprocal links.
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
In
response to many requests for more information on J.P. Donleavy's family, I've
put up a brief, and I hope unobtrusive, "All
in the Family" page.
(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.
Ginger
Man a new Italian translation (Neri Pozza, Milano, 2006) reached #1 on
the best-seller list in Italy this year. JPD had to decline a congratulatory
party invitation by the publisher because he couldn't find anyone to mind his
cows (over 60 head).
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.
Prices of The Unexpurgated Code copies
skyrocket after GQ mentions the book as the perfect gift for the one
who has everything. 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 to headline Dublin Writers Festival 2008
The
lineup for the Dublin Writers Festival 2008 will take place
from Wednesday June 11 to Sunday June 15. A group of over 40 Irish and international
writers culled from all disciplines will give readings, public interviews, talks
and take part in debates regarding their work. J.P. Donleavy will take part
in a retrospective event at the Project Arts Centre. Visit the Dublin
Writers Festival site for more details and a Programme for the festival
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.
by
David L. Hartzheim,
Instigator
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
corn's up" 1978
"Bug"
2003
"Six
ft. leaping hare on Empire State" 2002
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 at Amazon
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.
