Frank O'Connor
Frank O'Connor: A Life of Words and Wisdom
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Frank O'Connor was born Michael Francis O'Donovan on August 17, 1903, in Cork, Ireland. He is commonly known as Frank O'Connor.
Birth and Death Dates
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O'Connor was born on August 17, 1903 and passed away on September 23, 1966, at the age of 63.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Frank O'Connor was an Irish writer and short story author. He is considered one of Ireland's most important writers in English.
Early Life and Background
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O'Connor grew up in Cork City, where he developed a love for literature from a young age. His family was poor, but his parents encouraged his love of reading. He attended the North Monastery School, where he discovered his passion for writing. After completing his education, O'Connor moved to London, where he worked as a writer and editor.
Major Accomplishments
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O'Connor's writing career spanned over three decades. He published numerous collections of short stories, including Guests of the Nation, which is widely regarded as one of Ireland's greatest short story collections. His work was praised for its insight into Irish life and culture during a tumultuous period in Irish history.
Notable Works or Actions
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Some of O'Connor's most notable works include:
Guests of the Nation (1931): A collection of short stories that explores themes of identity, community, and belonging.
An Only Child (1949): A semi-autobiographical novel that delves into his own childhood experiences growing up in Cork City.
O'Connor was also a vocal advocate for Irish independence. During the Irish War of Independence, he joined the IRA and fought against British rule. His experiences during this time had a profound impact on his writing.
Impact and Legacy
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Frank O'Connor's legacy is multifaceted. As a writer, he has been praised for his unique voice and perspective on Irish life and culture. His work has been translated into numerous languages and continues to be widely read today. Moreover, his advocacy for Irish independence helped shape the country's struggle for self-governance.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Frank O'Connor is remembered as one of Ireland's most important writers in English. His work continues to captivate readers with its insight into human nature and its exploration of complex themes such as identity, community, and belonging.
Quotes by Frank O'Connor
Gravity doesn’t just fight expansion,” she pleaded. “Gravity defeats chaos, from time to time. It assembles worlds and life and thought. Gravity is the watchmaker, and it feels like it has will, purpose. It’s the shape-memory of the universe, trying to pull itself back into a perfect singularity. It’s futile, ultimately, but every now and then it creates a perfect node. An intellect. A true wonder.
But my dear young lady,” he said offering a cigarette, “who ever said I have a poor opinion of women? On the contrary, I have a very high opinion of women, and the more I see of them the more I like them.
Choice was an illusion. Seeing that a man can never really get out of jail, the great thing is to ensure that he gets into the biggest possible one with the largest possible range of modern amenities.
A man and woman in search of something are always blown apart, but it’s the same wind that blows them.
Even if there were only two men left in the world and both of them saints they wouldn’t be happy. One them would be bound to try and improve the other. That is the nature of things.
The short story is the art form that deals with the individual when there is no longer a society to absorb him, and when he is compelled to exist, as it were, by his own inner light.
All I know from my own experience is that the more loss we feel the more grateful we should be for whatever it was we had to lose. It means that we had something worth grieving for. The ones I’m sorry for are the ones that go through life not knowing what grief is.
And what's a-trouble to you, Jackie?""Father," I said, feeling I might as well get it over while I had him ingood humour, "I had it all arranged to kill my grandmother."He seemed a bit shaken by that, all right, because he said nothingfor quite a while."My goodness," he said at last, "that'd be a shocking thing to do.What put that into your head?"Father," I said, feeling very sorry for myself, " she's an awful woman.