Kenneth Sheils Reddin (born John Kenneth Sheils Reddin; 1895 – 17 August 1967 [1]) known by the pen name Kenneth Sarr, was an Irish author and judge. [2] [3] [4]
Reddin was born in Dublin to John [J. J.] and Annie Reddin. [4] He attended Belvedere College, Clongowes Wood College, and from 1910 Scoil Éanna, [5] where Thomas McDonagh and Patrick Pearse were formative influences. [6] His first pseudonym was Kenneth Esser (from "Kenneth S. R.") later shortened to Kenneth Sarr. [7] He joined the Irish Volunteers and was interned after the Easter Rising. [4] Literary figures often met at J.J. Reddin's house and Kenneth was associated with the Irish Theatre Company in Hardwicke Street, where his brothers Kerry and Norman acted. [8] He attended University College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor. [3] He was a member of the United Arts Club [9] and sometime President of the Irish PEN Club. [10] He visited James Joyce in Paris several times, first with a gift of Olhausen's black pudding, later at a PEN congress. [11] [12] Joyce, during his father's final illness, telegraphed Reddin's brother Dr Kerry Reddin about his treatment. [13] [14]
Reddin supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty and his father's house in Artane was burned in the Irish Civil War. [15] In 1922 he was appointed a District Court judge based in Mullingar, [4] later moving to the Newbridge [16] and then Dublin districts. [17] In court he wore what Terry De Valera called "his self-designed headdress like a black biretta". [18] As well as writing plays and novels, he collected humorous anecdotes from his judicial work intended for a book to be called Laughter in My Court. [19] In 1941 he objected to an article in PEN's magazine which he said was "propaganda, attacking the neutrality of Eire, and that all we wanted was to be left alone". [20] In 1948, Erina Brady appointed him President of her short-lived Dublin Dance Theatre Club. [21]
He retired from the bench on 19 March 1965. [17]
His papers are held by the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas. [22]
Work | Year | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
The Changeling | 1920 | Play | A two-act allegory produced by the Irish Theatre Company. [7] The premiere was postponed a week from Bloody Sunday and the audience was "meagre" due to the curfew then in force. [23] |
"In a Sinn Fein Court" | 1922 | Article | In The Belvederian [24] |
The Passing | 1924 | Play | Subtitled "A tragedy in one act". Produced by the Abbey Theatre on 9 December 1924. [25] [6] [5] Won the drama prize at the 1924 Tailteann Games. [26] [27] Its subject matter, a prostitute with an idiot son, was condemned by some viewers. [27] [26] |
Old Mag | 1924 | Play | Subtitled "A Christmas play in one act". Produced by the Abbey Theatre on 22 December 1924. [26] [6] |
The white bolle-trie | 1927 | Novel | Subtitled "A wonder story". A children's story. [28] |
Somewhere To The Sea | 1936 | Novel | A roman a clef set around the truce ending the Irish War of Independence. [2] [9] |
Another Shore | 1945 | Novel | adapted in 1948 into an Ealing comedy of the same name. [6] Published in the United States as Young man with a dream. |
"A Man called Pearse" | 1945 | Article | In Studies. [29] |
Kenneth Sheils Reddin (born John Kenneth Sheils Reddin; 1895 – 17 August 1967 [1]) known by the pen name Kenneth Sarr, was an Irish author and judge. [2] [3] [4]
Reddin was born in Dublin to John [J. J.] and Annie Reddin. [4] He attended Belvedere College, Clongowes Wood College, and from 1910 Scoil Éanna, [5] where Thomas McDonagh and Patrick Pearse were formative influences. [6] His first pseudonym was Kenneth Esser (from "Kenneth S. R.") later shortened to Kenneth Sarr. [7] He joined the Irish Volunteers and was interned after the Easter Rising. [4] Literary figures often met at J.J. Reddin's house and Kenneth was associated with the Irish Theatre Company in Hardwicke Street, where his brothers Kerry and Norman acted. [8] He attended University College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor. [3] He was a member of the United Arts Club [9] and sometime President of the Irish PEN Club. [10] He visited James Joyce in Paris several times, first with a gift of Olhausen's black pudding, later at a PEN congress. [11] [12] Joyce, during his father's final illness, telegraphed Reddin's brother Dr Kerry Reddin about his treatment. [13] [14]
Reddin supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty and his father's house in Artane was burned in the Irish Civil War. [15] In 1922 he was appointed a District Court judge based in Mullingar, [4] later moving to the Newbridge [16] and then Dublin districts. [17] In court he wore what Terry De Valera called "his self-designed headdress like a black biretta". [18] As well as writing plays and novels, he collected humorous anecdotes from his judicial work intended for a book to be called Laughter in My Court. [19] In 1941 he objected to an article in PEN's magazine which he said was "propaganda, attacking the neutrality of Eire, and that all we wanted was to be left alone". [20] In 1948, Erina Brady appointed him President of her short-lived Dublin Dance Theatre Club. [21]
He retired from the bench on 19 March 1965. [17]
His papers are held by the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas. [22]
Work | Year | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
The Changeling | 1920 | Play | A two-act allegory produced by the Irish Theatre Company. [7] The premiere was postponed a week from Bloody Sunday and the audience was "meagre" due to the curfew then in force. [23] |
"In a Sinn Fein Court" | 1922 | Article | In The Belvederian [24] |
The Passing | 1924 | Play | Subtitled "A tragedy in one act". Produced by the Abbey Theatre on 9 December 1924. [25] [6] [5] Won the drama prize at the 1924 Tailteann Games. [26] [27] Its subject matter, a prostitute with an idiot son, was condemned by some viewers. [27] [26] |
Old Mag | 1924 | Play | Subtitled "A Christmas play in one act". Produced by the Abbey Theatre on 22 December 1924. [26] [6] |
The white bolle-trie | 1927 | Novel | Subtitled "A wonder story". A children's story. [28] |
Somewhere To The Sea | 1936 | Novel | A roman a clef set around the truce ending the Irish War of Independence. [2] [9] |
Another Shore | 1945 | Novel | adapted in 1948 into an Ealing comedy of the same name. [6] Published in the United States as Young man with a dream. |
"A Man called Pearse" | 1945 | Article | In Studies. [29] |