Series 2 - Correspondence

Identity area

Reference code

IE 2135 P19/2

Title

Correspondence

Date(s)

  • 1979-1993 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

6 sub-series

Context area

Name of creator

(1942-2016)

Biographical history

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.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This series contains Michael Curtin’s correspondence with publishers, literary agents, film and television production companies, artists' associations and others.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The material is divided into six sub-series by correspondent type.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

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

Language of material

  • Béarla

Script of material

    Language and script notes

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    Finding aids

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    Description control area

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    Status

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      Script(s)

        Sources

        Accession area