Fonds P19 - The Michael Curtin Papers

Zone d'identification

Cote

IE 2135 P19

Titre

The Michael Curtin Papers

Date(s)

  • 1979-c. 2001 (Création/Production)

Niveau de description

Fonds

Étendue matérielle et support

5 standard boxes

Zone du contexte

Nom du producteur

(1942-2016)

Notice biographique

Michael Curtin was born in Limerick in 1942 and educated at the Sexton Street Christian Brothers’ school. In the 1960s, having spent five years working in a cement plant, he emigrated to London to try his hand as a writer. Finding no success, he returned to Limerick, where the broadcaster David Hanly encouraged him to continue writing. Several of Curtin’s short stories were subsequently published in the New Irish Writing column in the Irish Press and one of them took first prize at Listowel Writers’ Week in 1972. His first novel, The Self-Made Men, a partly autobiographical account of immigrant life in England, was published in 1980 by André Deutsch. Five further novels followed: The Replay (1981), The League Against Christmas (1989), The Plastic Tomato Cutter (1991), The Cove Shivering Club (1996), and Sing! (2001). Many of Curtin’s stories are set in his native city of Limerick and are characterised by a darkly comic tone, which became Curtin’s trademark. Michael Curtin died in his native city in April 2016.

Histoire archivistique

Sold by Michael Curtin to Kenny's Bookshop, Galway.

Source immédiate d'acquisition ou de transfert

Purchased by the University of Limerick from Kenny’s Bookshop, Galway, on 19 August 2005.

Zone du contenu et de la structure

Portée et contenu

This collection contains manuscripts of five of Michael Curtin’s six novels and correspondence relating to his career as a writer.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

All records have been retained, except for two items unrelated to Michael Curtin, which have been destroyed.

Accruals

No accruals are expected.

System of arrangement

The documents are divided thematically into two series. Series 1 contains manuscripts of five of Curtin’s six novels, many with copy editor’s alterations. Series 2 comprises correspondence mainly with publishers, literary agents, film and TV producers and artists’ associations, and provides an interesting insight into the process of book publishing and the acquisition of film and foreign language rights. The difficulties experienced even by established authors to get their work into print is illustrated by the eleven rejection letters from publishing companies for Curtin’s fourth novel, The Plastic Tomato Cutter (see P19/1/4).

Zone des conditions d'accès et d'utilisation

Conditions d’accès

Unrestricted access to most items. A small number of documents contain personal information and are closed for 50 years. These items have been identified in the descriptive catalogue.

Conditions governing reproduction

Standard copyright regulations apply to all items. For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.

Language of material

  • anglais

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Caractéristiques matérielle et contraintes techniques

    Paper documents in good condition.

    Finding aids

    Zone des sources complémentaires

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    Descriptions associées

    Publication note

    Michael Curtin’s six novels, including some foreign translations, are available in the Special Collections and Archives Department and in the Main Library at the University of Limerick.

    Zone des notes

    Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)

    Mots-clés

    Mots-clés - Sujets

    Mots-clés - Lieux

    Mots-clés - Noms

    Mots-clés - Genre

    Zone du contrôle de la description

    Identifiant de la description

    Rules and/or conventions used

    This description follows guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd edition (2000), Irish Guidelines for Archival Description (2009), National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (1997) and EAP Guidance on Data Protection for Archive Services (2018).

    Statut

    Niveau de détail

    Langue(s)

      Écriture(s)

        Sources

        Archivist's note

        Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba in February 2010 and revised July 2021.

        Accession area