Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- c. 1960-2012 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
4 standard boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Thomas G. (Tom) Nestor was born in 1936 in Coolcappa, Rathkeale, County Limerick as a farmer’s son and one of ten children. He was educated in St Flannan’s College, Ennis, in 1950-1954, and began his working career in 1955, first with Shannon Sales and Catering Service, and then with an American company in Ennis, where he lived from 1981 to 1990. Nestor later became self-employed and ran a training and consultancy programme for middle managers until his retirement in 2004. He married in 1964 and settled in Birr, County Offaly.
Nestor began his writing career in 1964 with two articles about rural Ireland, which were published in the Manchester Guardian. These were followed by Twilight in Suburbia, written for Donacha O’Dulaing for his radio programme A Munster Journal. The work was however rejected. His published works include three radio plays broadcast by BBC and RTÉ, some thirty short stories published in Scotland, USA and Australia, and three novels: The Keeper of Absalom’s Island (1999), The Blue Pool (2002) and Talking to Kate (2009). From 1964 to 1998 Nestor also contributed to The Limerick Leader with his column My Life and Times.
Thomas Nestor died on 22 December 2023 at the age of 87.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated by Tom Nestor to the University of Limerick on 14 March 2011, except for P31/1/1/4/6, which was donated by the author in 2014.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Drafts, published works, correspondence with publishers and literary agents and agreement forms illustrating Tom Nestor’s career as an author and playwright.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records have been retained.
Accruals
No accruals are expected.
System of arrangement
The material has been arranged into three series according to form. Series 1 comprises literary material, including drafts and published works. Series 2 comprises agreement forms and correspondence predominantly with publishers, broadcasting houses and literary agents. Series 3 contains literary ephemera.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access to all items.
Conditions governing reproduction
Standard copyright regulations apply to all items. For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Paper documents mostly in good condition.
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Published works by Tom Nestor in addition to those forming part of this collection are available in the Special Collections and Archives Department and the Main Library at the University of Limerick.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
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).
Status
Level of detail
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba in Januar 2012 and revised in July 2021.