Dermot Healy

Dermot Healy (18 July 1947 – 29 June 2014) was an Irish novelist, playwright, poet, short story writer and actor. His best known fictional novels were "A Goat's Song" (1994), "Sudden Times" (1999) and "Long Time, No See" (2011). His best known work of poetry was "A Fool's Errand" (2010). He was a member of Aosdána. He was also an actor and appeared in the movies "I Could Read the Sky" (1999), "Mapmaker" (2001) and "The Guard" (2011). He was a member of Aosdána.
Healy was called a "master", a "Celtic Hemingway" and as "Ireland's finest living novelist". Writers to have spoken highly of him are Seamus Heaney, Eugene McCabe, Roddy Doyle, Patrick McCabe and Anne Enright.
Healy was born in Finnea, County Westmeath. In his late teens he moved to London, England, before returning to Ireland.
Healy died on 29 June 2014 in Sligo, County Sligo, aged 66. His wife and two children outlived him.