Writer Niall Quinn becomes the second recipient of the Brendan Behan Memorial Fellowship.
Niall Quinn has had many occupations including being a dishwasher in Scotland Yard and air condition installer in the United States. Now he is being recognised for his writing and honoured with the Brendan Behan Memorial Fellowship.
Niall Quinn is the second writer ever to receive the Behan Fellowship which is worth £9,000.
Niall Quinn published his first book of short stories 'Voyovic' last year and is delighted to have established himself as a bona fide writer. This award of the Brendan Behan Fellowship along with the support of Dublin Corporation and the Arts Council, has given him belief in his writing. His diverse background across many occupations he says has been essential to becoming a writer.
You must have experience, you must remember your experience, you must speak to as many people as possible.
He believes that any aspiring writer hoping for success needs to leave Ireland for a time in order to truly see themselves.
If you want to see yourself, you have to get out of the mirror, look back and see yourself in the mirror.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 6 September 1983. The reporter is Mary Fanning.
