Gerard Beirne


Gerard Beirne is an Irish author. Beirne was the writer in residence for the 2008-2009 academical year at the University of New Brunswick, where he previously worked at the English Department. He is a Fiction Editor of The Fiddlehead - Canada's longest surviving literary magazine. He also curates the on-line magazines The Irish Literary Times and The New Brunswick Literary Times.
His most recent collection of poems, Games of Chance - A Gambler's Manual, was published by Oberon Press, Fall 2011.
His novel The Eskimo in the Net was published by Marion Boyars in 2003 and was short-listed for the 2004 Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award. It was selected by the Daily Express as Book of the Year.
His collection of poetry, Digging My Own Grave was runner-up for the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award.
His story, "Sightings of Bono", was adapted for Irish film and featured Bono.
Beirne's CD of spoken word poetry - If it's words you're after - was released in 2006. He is a past winner of two Sunday Tribune/Hennessey Literary Awards including as New Irish Writer of the Year 1996. His collaboration with classical composer Siobhán Cleary, was called "a theatrical tour de force" by The Irish Times.
In 2009, Oberon Press published his second novel, Turtle.
His first short story collection, In a Time of Drought and Hunger, was published in 2015 and was a shortlisted nominee for the 2016 Danuta Gleed Literary Award.
Novels
Charlie Tallulah. Oberon, 2013.
Turtle. Oberon, 2009.
The Eskimo in the Net. Marion Boyars, 2003.
Short Story Collections
In a Time of Drought and Hunger. Oberon, 2015.
Poetry Collections
Games of Chance: A Gambler's Manual. Oberon, 2011.
Digging My Own Grave. Dedalus, 1997.

Other Selected Works

Musical Theatre
Hum! With Siobhán Cleary. Commissioned by Irish Chamber Orchestra 1998. Also performed by RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra 2020.
Spoken Word Poetry
If It's Words You're After. 2006.

Adaptations

Short Film
Sightings of Bono. Parallel Productions, 2000. Starring Bono.