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Life
1916- [var. O’Connor]; b. Dublin; moved to London, 1939, serving in the World War II; actor, and author of plays incl. The Iron Harp: A Play in Three Acts (Bristol Old Vic, 1955; Penguin 1959), and Foyle Award winner 1955. DIW
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Works
E. Martin Browne, ed., Three Irish Plays: The Moon in the Yellow River [Denis Johnston; 9-98; The Iron Harp [Joseph O’Conor; 99-164]; Step-in-the-Hollow [Donagh MacDonagh; 165-236] (Harmondsworth: Penguin 1959) [infra].
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Commentary
E. Martin Browne, ed., Three Irish Plays (Harmondsworth: Penguin 1959), Introduction: ‘Joseph O’Conor’s The Iron Harp is a straighforward tragedy, set in the time of the troubles which brought the Irish Republic to birth. He was born in Dublin in 1916, and came to London to establish himself as an actor just before the Second World War. After serving in the British Forces he returned to London to make a distinguished career, notable events in which have been his playing of Christ in the York Mystery Plays (1951 and 1956) and his leadership of the Bristol Old Vic Company (1956-57). The Iron Harp is his first play. It won the Foyle award for the best new play produced by a Rep[ertory company] in 1955, and was shortly afterwards given at Bristol Old Vic.’ (p.7-8.)
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Notes
Richard Harris: ‘Harris: The Ginger Man’ [interview] , Des Hickey & Gus Smith, eds., A Paler Shade of Green (London: Leslie Frewin 1972): ‘It was at the same time that the director Cliff Owen was preparing a play for television, The Iron Harp by Joseph O’Connor [sic], and looking for an Irish actor to play the part of a blind man.’ (p.158.)
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