David Ireland (author)

David Neil Ireland AM (24 August 1927 – 26 July 2022) was an Australian novelist.

David Ireland

AM
Ireland in 1979
Ireland in 1979
Born(1927-08-24)24 August 1927
Lakemba, New South Wales, Australia
Died26 July 2022(2022-07-26) (aged 94)
OccupationNovelist
Notable works
  • The Unknown Industrial Prisoner
  • The Glass Canoe
  • A Woman of the Future
Notable awardsMiles Franklin Award (1971, 1976, 1979)

Biography

David Ireland was born in Lakemba in New South Wales in 1927.

Before taking up full-time writing in 1973, he undertook the classic writer's apprenticeship by working in a variety of jobs, ranging from greenskeeper to an extended period in an oil refinery.

This latter job inspired his second (and best-known) novel, The Unknown Industrial Prisoner, which brought him recognition in the early 1970s. It is still considered by many critics to be one of the best and most original Australian novels of the period.

He won the Miles Franklin Award three times (1971, 1976 and 1979). He is one of only four Australian writers to win the Award more than twice; the others are Thea Astley (4) and Tim Winton (4), and Peter Carey (3).

Ireland died on 26 July 2022 aged 94.[1][2]

Honours and awards
  • 1966 – winner The Advertiser Literary Competition for The Chantic Bird
  • 1971 – winner Miles Franklin Award for The Unknown Industrial Prisoner
  • 1976 – winner Miles Franklin Award for The Glass Canoe
  • 1979 – winner Miles Franklin Award for A Woman of the Future
  • 1980 – joint winner The Age Book of the Year Award A Woman of the Future
  • 1985 – winner Australian Literature Society Gold Medal for Archimedes and the Seagle[3]

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 1981.[4][5]

Bibliography

Novels

  • The Chantic Bird (1968)
  • The Unknown Industrial Prisoner (1971)
  • The Flesheaters (1972)
  • Burn (1974)
  • The Glass Canoe (1976)
  • A Woman of the Future (1979)
  • City of Women (1981)
  • Archimedes and the Seagle (1984)
  • Bloodfather (1987)
  • The Chosen (1997)
  • The World Repair Video Game (2015)

Drama

  • Image in the Clay (1964)

References
  1. Jason Steger (29 July 2022). "David Ireland, 'giant of letters' and three-time Miles Franklin winner, dies". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  2. "David Neil Ireland – Death Notice". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  3. Austlit – Archimedes and the Seagle
  4. "The Queen's Birthday Honours Lists – Commonwealth". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 696. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 13 June 1981. p. 11. Retrieved 30 July 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "David Neil Ireland". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
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