How It’s New York: Malachy McCourt is a New York treasure, and one of the driving forces in the Irish American Writers & Artists group, and the person who suggested the very popular Writers’ Salon (the next one is March 6!)
How It’s Irish: Malachy, of course, is Irish– from Limerick, and brother to the late Frank McCourt who lit up the world with Angela’s Ashes— and an acclaimed author in his own rite, including his bestselling memoir A Monk Swimming A Memoir
Throughout his rollicking life, Malachy McCourt has held a multitude of careers, from dish washer, longshoreman, and pub keeper to actor, writer, radio and TV host, and candidate for governor! He’s done everything he’s ever wanted to do in his life and encourages others to do the same. McCourt will share his experiences through poetry, song, and outrageously hilarious stories in his one-man show Loving Life and Laughing at Death at the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 9th.
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| Malachy McCourt at Occupy Wall Street (@David Shankbone) |
Malachy McCourt was born in Brooklyn, and from the age of three was raised in Limerick, Ireland. He returned to the U.S. at the age of twenty and continued his work as a laborer working such tasks as longshoreman, truck loader, and dishwasher. Soon after, he became an actor, and then established the first singles bar in America. He then began a radio career in 1970. He was one of the first radio talk show hosts on WMCA and also worked at WOR, WNYC and WABC.
McCourt has appeared on stage in plays
such as DA, The Hostage, Mass Appeal, Inherit the Wind and A Child’s Christmas in Wales. On television he was a semi regular on “The Tonight Show” with Jack Paar and Merv Griffin. He appeared in the soap operas “Ryan’s Hope,” “One Life To Live” as well as “The Dain Curse” (mini-series) and other made-for-TV movies. On screen he can be seen in She’s the One, The Devil’s Own, Reversal of Fortune, Greencard, The Field, The Molly Maguires, The Guru, and ‘Edward Burns’ film Ash Wednesday.
Various organizations have presented Malachy McCourt with awards, including City Club of New York (Gadfly Award), New York Magazine (Best of New York Award), Turning Point Inc. (Humanitarian Award), World of Hibernia (Super Irish Award), Irish America Magazine (Top 100 Irish Award), NYCLU (Florina Lasker Civil Liberties Award).
McCourt has written articles published in many periodicals including New York Newsday, National Geographic, Conscience Magazine and New York Times. As well as being the co-author of the play A Couple of Blaguards with his brother Frank, Malachy has written his own New York Times bestseller memoir, A Monk Swimming, published by Hyperion Press. His memoir, Singing My Him Song, now out in paperback is published by Harper Collins. Running Press recently published four of Malachy’s books: the history of the song Danny Boy: The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad, a history of The Claddagh Ring, Voices of Ireland: Classic Writings of a Rich and Rare Land; and Malachy McCourt’s History of Ireland. Recent books, Harold Be Thy Name and Bush Lies in State, are published by Welcome Rain.
In the works is I Never Drink When I’m Sober for Harper Collins.
See Malachy McCourt at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) on Friday, March 9th at 8pm. Tickets are $35 & $45. A short 35-minute train ride from Penn Station on NJ Transit, SOPAC is located adjacent to the South Orange train station at One SOPAC Way in South Orange, NJ.
For tickets visit SOPACnow.org or contact the SOPAC Box Office at 973.313.2787 (ARTS).
Special Offer: Mention code ‘IAWA10’ and receive $10 off each ticket purchased. Discount offer is not valid for prior purchases and cannot be combined with any other offer.
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC), One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ
