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Donal Ryan

ドナル・ライアン

Donal Ryan

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland
Nationality
Irish
Languages
English
Residence History
Castletroy, County Limerick, Ireland

Career

Occupations
novelist, short story writer, creative writing lecturer
Active Years
2012-

Education

University of Limerick
Faculty of Law / Department of Law
Degree: LLB
Country: Ireland
Holds a degree in law and later took a post lecturing in Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Awards

European Union Prize for Literature
2015
Work: The Spinning Heart
Organization: European Union Prize for Literature
Result: winner
Guardian First Book Award
2013
Work: The Spinning Heart
Organization: The Guardian
Result: winner
Irish Book Awards - Newcomer of the Year
2012
Work: The Spinning Heart
Category: Newcomer of the Year
Organization: Irish Book Awards
Result: winner
Irish Book Awards - Book of the Year
2012
Work: The Spinning Heart
Category: Book of the Year
Organization: Irish Book Awards
Result: winner
Irish Book Awards - Novel of the Year
2020
Work: Strange Flowers
Category: Novel of the Year
Organization: Irish Book Awards
Result: winner
Irish Book Awards - Novel of the Year
2024
Work: Heart, Be at Peace
Category: Novel of the Year
Organization: Irish Book Awards
Result: winner
Irish Book Awards - Book of the Year
2024
Work: Heart, Be at Peace
Category: Book of the Year
Organization: Irish Book Awards
Result: winner
Orwell Prize for Political Fiction
2025
Work: Heart, Be at Peace
Category: Political Fiction
Organization: Orwell Prize
Result: winner
Jean Monnet Prize for European Literature
2021
Work: From a Low and Quiet Sea (French translation)
Organization: Jean Monnet Prize
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Spinning Heart

2012 Novel (ensemble fiction)

An ensemble novel portraying the effects of the Irish economic crisis through the perspectives of village residents.

economic crisiscommunityloss and recovery
Adaptations
  • [theatre] The Spinning Heart (stage adaptation) (2017)

The Thing About December

2013 Novel

A quiet story about loneliness and relationships. Adapted into the Irish-language film Foscadh.

lonelinessfamilycommunity
Adaptations
  • [film] Foscadh / Seán Breathnach (2020)
  • [theatre] The Thing About December (stage adaptation) (2019)

A Slanting of the Sun: Stories

2015 Short story collection

A collection of short stories featuring varied characters and vivid small moments.

everyday lifehuman drama

All We Shall Know

2016 Novel

A multi-voiced novel exploring family and community complexities.

memoryfamilycommunity

From a Low and Quiet Sea

2018 Novel

An introspective novel interweaving the lives of different characters.

migrationlossempathy

Strange Flowers

2020 Novel

A family drama set on an island, revealing past secrets and tensions.

secretsfamilyisland community

The Queen of Dirt Island

2022 Novel

Focuses on community and change as seen from a small island's perspective.

communitychangenature

Heart, Be at Peace

2024 Political fiction / Novel

A novel that explores political themes alongside personal interiority and community relations.

politicsindividual and communityethics

Bibliography

  • The Spinning Heart (2012)
  • The Thing About December (2013)
  • A Slanting of the Sun: Stories (2015)
  • All We Shall Know (2016)
  • From a Low and Quiet Sea (2018)
  • Strange Flowers (2020)
  • The Queen of Dirt Island (2022)
  • Heart, Be at Peace (2024)

Adaptations

  • The Thing About December → film 'Foscadh' (2020)
  • The Thing About December → stage adaptation (2019)
  • The Spinning Heart → stage adaptation (2017)

Translations of Works

  • Translated into more than twenty languages

Style & Themes

Literary Style
realist, understated proseensemble/multi-voiced narrationquiet, observational style
Recurring Motifs
rural communitieseconomic hardshiploss and renewalloneliness and relationships

Legacy

Regarded as a leading figure in contemporary Irish literature; all his novels have reached number one in Ireland and his work has international influence through translations and awards.

In Popular Culture

  • Film adaptation of The Thing About December (Foscadh)
  • Stage adaptations of several works (e.g. The Spinning Heart)

Quotes

  • "He is the king of the new wave of Irish writers."
    Source: Sebastian Barry (as quoted in The Guardian) (2016)

Trivia

  • His first two novels were rejected 47 times between them before acceptance.
  • All of his novels have been number-one bestsellers in Ireland.
  • In 2021 he won the Jean Monnet Prize for European Literature, becoming the first Irish winner.
  • In 2025 he won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction for Heart, Be at Peace.