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Flann OBrien
O'Brien, Flann
The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature
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2003
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© The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature 2003, originally published by Oxford University Press 2003. (Hide copyright information)
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O'Brien, Flann, pseudonym of Brian O'Nolan or Brian Ó Nualláin (1911–66), born at Strabane, Co. Tyrone, and educated at University College, Dublin. He contributed a satiric weekly column under the name ‘Myles na Gopaleen’ to the
Irish Times. His first novel,
At Swim-Two-Birds (1939), is an exuberant work, operating on several levels of invention: a naturalistic portrayal of student and lower-middle-class life; a novel-within-a-novel which deals with the legendary Irish hero
Finn Mac Cool; and Irish folklore. The effect is a multi-dimensional exploration of Irish culture and of the nature of fiction, much influenced by
Joyce. O'Brien's second novel,
An Béal Bocht (1941, written in Gaelic; English translation,
The Poor Mouth, 1973). The best-known of his other works is
The Third Policeman (written 1940, pub. 1967) which
Wain (
Encounter, 1967) found ‘tense, grim and threatening’, closer in tone to
Beckett.
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LOVE AMID AN UPRISING
Newspaper article from: The Boston Globe; 6/30/2002; ; 700+ words
; ...fiction as a paean to both national and gay liberation. O'Neill's title of course alludes to the pseudonymous "Flann OBrien's" 1939 comic masterpiece "At Swim-Two-Birds." That impudent romp transmogrified Irish history and legend...
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 "The Daily Mail (London, England)")
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PLAIN SENSE AT LAST.
Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 12/17/2008; 360 words
; WHEN Flann OBrien said a pint of plain is your only man he most certainly did not mean to say a half-litre instead. Now, after a decades-long...
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 "The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland)")
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Whats on tomorrow.(News)
Newspaper article from: The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland); 11/7/2003; 406 words
; ...Royal Hotel, 9am-2pm. lThe Lyric Theatre, Ridgeway Street, Belfast, Colin Reid and Friends The Third Policeman by Flann OBrien at 8pm. lMillennium Forum Theatre, Londonderry, Maire A Woman of Derry. Playwright Brian Fosters heartbreaking story...
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Drowning in porter.
Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 8/29/2008; 280 words
; ...somebody buck the economic trend especially when its such an iconic Irish product as Guinness. But then again, as Flann OBrien wrote 50 years ago in At Swim Two Birds: When things go wrong and they will not come right, Though you do the best...
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 "Evening Gazette (Middlesbrough, England)")
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What's on your bookshelf?
Newspaper article from: Evening Gazette (Middlesbrough, England); 8/21/2009; 540 words
; ...journalism and radio scripts. * What character from a book would you most like to be and why? The undergraduate narrator in Flann OBrien's wonderful novel At Swim Two Birds. * What character from a book describes you best? I can't think of a book...
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Blooming festival; Larger than life: A Leopold Bloom actor at Joyces statue in Dublin.
Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 4/25/2008; 700+ words
; ...The first Bloomsday was decidedly low-key: a group of Joyceans, headed byJoyces brother Tom, Patrick Kavanagh, Flann OBrien, John Ryan and AnthonyCronin, assembled in front of the Martello Tower at Sandymount, Dublin, beforeretiring for...
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Misfits no longer, Irish bloggers are snapping up book deals; 1. Silver surfer: Richard OConnor (Grandad) is presented with an award by model Glenda Gilson 2. Straight-talking: Fiona McPhillipss blog, The Waiting Game, deals with her struggle to conceive.
Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 2/29/2008; 700+ words
; ...itcould be difficult for Twenty to make the leap from the web to bookshops andlibraries and yet he has been compared to Flann OBrien and dubbed Brendan Behanfor the internet generation. Before the concept of bloggers as published writers hit Ireland...
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Fans of Ulysses celebrate Joyce of cycling; (1) Speed ban: The pace was slower for some of the Bloomsday Messengers who entertained Dublin yesterday (2) Close encounter: Colm OGrady as James Joyce with Laura Huet.
Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 6/13/2008; 514 words
; ...initially a decidedly lowkey affair: a group of Joyceans, headed byJoyces brother Tom, along with Patrick Kavanagh and Flann OBrien, assembled infront of the Martello tower at Sandy-mount, Dublin, before indulging in plentyof refreshments and...
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We all pay for the sins of addicts.
Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 11/14/2008; 700+ words
; ...MULLEN A PINT of plain is your only man was the famous refrainin Flann OBriens poem, The Working Mans Friend . The poem went through...depression and ill health were actually caused by alcohol. OBrien, a chronic alcoholic himself, knew all too well the dangers...
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