THERE is great sadness this morning at the passing of one of Ireland’s most best known playwrights.
Brian Friel – born Bernard Patrick Friel – died this morning aged 86.
He was married to Anne Morrison.
Friel was born in Killyclogher, Co. Tyrone on January 9, 1929 and was educated in St. Columb’s College.
Later he went to St Patrick’s College in Maynooth and obtained a Batchelor of Arts degree.
‘Philadelphia Here I Come’, ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ and ‘Translation’ were amongst his most revered and world famous works.
He wrote more than 30 plays over six decades and was described as an “Irish Chekhov”.
Brian was appointed to the Seanad Eireann in 1987 and served until 1989.
The following year he wrote ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ which received world wide acclaim and many awards.
In 1998 it was made into a film starring Meryl Streep with a script by Donegal playwright Frank McGuinness.
Brian Friel was once described by former U.S. President Bill Clinton as as “an Irish treasure for the entire world.”