Hugh Leonard playwright and author of Da dies at the age of 82

from the Irish Times

Irish dramatist, journalist and self-styled curmudgeon Hugh Leonard has died. He was 82.

Born in 1926, the prolific playwright had been ill for some time.

Hugh Leonard was the pseudonym of John (Jack) Keyes Byrne, who was raised in Dalkey, Co Dublin. He died early this morning.

He adopted the name in the 1950s while working in the Civil service fearing his employers would frown upon his writing.

His plays included The Big Birthday , A Leap in the Dark, Stephen D , The Poker Session , The Patrick Pearse Motel , The Au Pair Man and Da.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0212/breaking40.htm

He wrote in the paper once about politics and the nature of politics, I think.

"In a septic tank, the biggest turds always rise to the top".

I always liked that one.

R.I.P.