Debate  
Michael Harding

Michael Harding

Michael Harding is a playwright and novelist. Most widely known as the author of such plays as Strawboys, Una Pooka, Misogynist, Hubert Murray’s Widow, Sour Grapes, and Amazing Grace, all produced by the Abbey Theatre, and more than a dozen other plays for leading Irish Companies. He has written three novels, Priest, The Trouble With Sarah Gullion, and Bird In The Snow. His memoir Staring At Lakes was published in 2013. He is a member of Aosdana.

The only thing I have to say about sexual morality is this . . .

. . . I wish that love could take away our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh

I made a mental note to give up alcohol. Again

An actor from the US told me to go wild, so I found myself at an Athlone drama festival

Penetrated by the wounds of a woman’s heart at Cúirt

Behind the scenes and in the audience at Cúirt

Searching for my soul among my abandoned saplings

Getting back to nature in search of my better nature

Sometimes I use the word ‘erotic’ randomly

The hug that’s more valuable than gold

‘You looked tired today.’ ‘I’m fine,’ I lied

‘I had a chat with the ghost of Patrick Kavanagh, not far from where he is commemorated with a seat and a bronze statue. He warned me against being inflated after my television appearance.’ Photograph: Eric Luke
‘Raglan Road’, a song that has served me well

'I had a chat with the ghost of Patrick Kavanagh...He warned me against being inflated after my television appearance'

A long day’s journey into the lives of three women

‘I’ve had a very interesting day. I met three wonderful women’

More articles

Letters to the Editor Click through for the letters page
 
Martyn Turner's cartoon
 

Popular

Debris covers the ground after a powerful tornado ripped through the area in Moore, Oklahoma. Photograph: Brett Deering/Getty Images At least 91 dead as gigantic tornado rips through Oklahoma
Charity has to return €130,000 of fraudulent payments
Apple chief executive Tim Cook and other company executives, along with US treasury officials, will appear before the Senate subcommittee at a hearing on Capitol Hill today. Government denies facilitating Apple tax avoidance
The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek performs on stage at the Miller Rock Thru Time in New York IN 2004. Photograph: Matthew Peyton/Getty Images Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek dies
Jerry Buttimer TD speaks to perinatal psychiatrists Dr Anthony McCarthy and Dr Joanne Fenton outside Leinster House yesterday. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins Doctors differ, patients fly and majority in Leinster House give abortion Bill a wide berth
Crossword Club Crossword Club

Over 6,000 crosswords from The Irish Times.

Photo Sales Photo Sales

Choose from an extensive range of photographs taken by Irish Times photographers.

Select for slide 1 Select for slide 2