Brian Leyden (born 1960) is an Irish writer. He has published three , two short story collections and a best selling memoir. He has co-written a script for a feature film, made radio documentaries and is a regular contributor to Sunday Miscellany on RTE Radio 1. In 2021 Brian Leyden was one of the founders of The Independent regional imprint Lepus Print. https://www.lepusprint.com/
Biography
Brian Leyden is from the coal mining valley of
Arigna,
County Roscommon,
a place and a way of life memorialised in the author's work. He writes
fiction and
non-fiction in which he holds a Masters in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, (2022)
and a PG Diploma in Fine Art (NCEA) (1983).
Leyden has been a creative non-fiction mentor with the MFA in Creative Writing at Carlow University Pittsburgh for twenty years.
He has worked continuously in the arts, including the positions of Writer in Residence with Leitrim and Sligo Libraries. He has mentored for the NUI Galway BA in Creative Writing program.
Reading tours he participated in include Ireland and its Diaspora Writers & Musician's Tour of
Germany (1996), Newport Festival
Rhode Island, and The Irish Writers' Centre
Peregrine Readings (2010)
and New York in (2019). Leyden as a writer is very engaged with the relationship between place and the creative calling. He lives on the Atlantic coast of North Sligo with his wife.
Books
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Love These Days (2024) novel
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Summer of ’63 (2016), novel.
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Sweet Old World: New and Selected Stories (2015), short stories.
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Death and Plenty (1996), novel.
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The Home Place (2002) memoir.
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Departures (1992), short stories.
Recent Commissions
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The Sligo Wave, (2024) a writer's response to a major exhibition in the Model Arts centre on the Sligo Landscape tradition from Jack B. Yeats to present day artists.
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The Sheemore Ambush, (2020) for the Decade of Commemorations (2012–2023) initiative (2022).
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The Sligo Bus and All That Jazz, (2020) The Hawk's Well Theatre: Come together with writer Brian Leyden and musician Eddie Lee.
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Walking Bird Mountain, (2018/2019) Creative Ireland, Sligo, and the Factory Theatre multi-media collaborative arts project.
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Creative Ireland Award script commission for the 'Famine Attic' , (2018) Carrick-On Shannon, Co Leitrim.
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Old Flames, (2016) A script commission as National Writer in Residence for the Bealtaine Festival, and live performance tour with multi-instrumentalist Seamie O Dowd.
Plays
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Remember Me, (2023) The Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo.
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Ink and Lunacy, (1990), The Factory Theatre, Sligo.
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W.B Yeats: Experiments in Magic, (1989) St John's Church Theatre Listowel, Yeats Society, Co Sligo for the 50th anniversary of the poets death.
Film
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Black Ice (2013) Premiered at the Jameson Film Festival, Dublin and the Model Sligo, before going to cinemas nationwide.
Opera
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Humpty Dumpty (2010) A libretto for a short opera by contemporary composer Ian Wilson. performed at the Lancaster International Concert Series March (2010).
Editorial Highlights
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The Cathach Volume II (2010) Sligo Library Services online literary Journal.
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First Cut Anthology, (2004)
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Force 10 Literary Journal, Issues 7-8, (1995-1997)
Radio Documentaries
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The Irish Station Mass (2015)
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The Closing of the Gaiety Cinema (2004)
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Even the Walls Were Sweatin' (1997)
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No Meadows in Manhattan (1991)
Other Radio Highlights
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BBC 4 Short Story, Departures (1990 and 2000)
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A Word in Edgeways (2022–2024)
Essays and Anthologies
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Brian's non-fiction and essays have been broadcast on national radio and widely anthologised. Including Sunday Miscellany: A selection 2018-2023, ed. Sarah Binchy,'
Recognitions
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The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon "Literary Bursary" (2014) and (2022)
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Culture Ireland Travel Award, USA, (2017)
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Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Sound and Vision Award (2014)
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Sidney Brown Memorial Award (2012)
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Sligo County Libraries Writer-in-Residence (2010)
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Norman Mailer Writers Colony (at Provincetown, MA) Scholarship (2009)
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Arts Council Travel & Training Award (2009)
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Jacobs Award for No Meadows in Manhattan (1991).
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Francis MacManus Short Story Award for The Last Mining Village (1988)
