5/6/1932-6/9/1981 | Irish author, painter and poet.
Christy Brown was born in Crumlin in Dublin on the 5th of June 1932. He was one of 13 surviving children of Bridget and Paddy Brown.
Disabled from birth by cerebral palsy, for years he was unable to speak or make deliberate movements. Doctors believed that he was also intellectually disabled, but Christy’s mother did not believe them and continued to teach him, speak to him and work with him.
When he was five years old he famously grabbed a piece of chalk from his sister with his left foot and made a mark on a slate. From that moment on his mother worked tirelessly, teaching him the alphabet, which he slowly copied, holding the chalk between his toes. She also taught him how to read.
His brothers included him in all their activities and made him a go-cart to get around in. When Christy’s mother was in the hospital giving birth, she met Lady Almoner who was working in the tenements in inner city Dublin. She had brought along the writer and doctor Robert Collis who listened to the unique story of Christy and his mother. He decided to set up a treatment centre for Cerebral Palsy in Ireland and Christy would be his first patient. Collis and Christy became lifelong friends and he introduced him to some of the great writers of the time, including Cecil Day-Lewis and Frank O’Connor. He also encouraged and supported Christy in the writing of his first novel "My Left Foot" which was published in 1954.
For many years, Christy attended the clinic that Collis set up and was tutored at home in subjects including philosophy, mathematics, literature and language skills. But, as he grew older, he found he had less and less in common with his siblings and began to slowly withdraw from everyday life. The family built him a separate house in their back yard which became his studio. As well as writing, Christy also enjoyed painting, which he accomplished with his left foot. He worked with the Disabled Artists Association, producing on average one painting a week for five years. With the help of Dr Collis, he continued to write, and published the hugely successful autobiography "Down All the Days" in 1970. It was followed by "A Shadow of Summer" (1972), "Wild Grow the Lilies" (1976) and "A Promising Career" (published posthumously in 1982). He also published three poetry collections: "Come Softly to My Wake", "Background Music" and "Of Snails and Skylarks".
In October 1972 Christy married his nurse Mary Carr in Sutton, County Dublin. They lived for a while in Ballyheigue, County Kerry and then moved to Somerset in England. Christy Brown died in Somerset in September 1981.
His remains were brought back to Dublin and buried in Glasnevin cemetery. In 1989 Irish director Jim Sheridan directed Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker in the film version of "My Left Foot". The screenplay had been written by Shane Connaughton. Both actors won academy awards for their performances and the film was nominated in five categories, including best picture.
Disabled from birth by cerebral palsy, for years he was unable to speak or make deliberate movements. Doctors believed that he was also intellectually disabled, but Christy’s mother did not believe them and continued to teach him, speak to him and work with him.
When he was five years old he famously grabbed a piece of chalk from his sister with his left foot and made a mark on a slate. From that moment on his mother worked tirelessly, teaching him the alphabet, which he slowly copied, holding the chalk between his toes. She also taught him how to read.
His brothers included him in all their activities and made him a go-cart to get around in. When Christy’s mother was in the hospital giving birth, she met Lady Almoner who was working in the tenements in inner city Dublin. She had brought along the writer and doctor Robert Collis who listened to the unique story of Christy and his mother. He decided to set up a treatment centre for Cerebral Palsy in Ireland and Christy would be his first patient. Collis and Christy became lifelong friends and he introduced him to some of the great writers of the time, including Cecil Day-Lewis and Frank O’Connor. He also encouraged and supported Christy in the writing of his first novel "My Left Foot" which was published in 1954.
For many years, Christy attended the clinic that Collis set up and was tutored at home in subjects including philosophy, mathematics, literature and language skills. But, as he grew older, he found he had less and less in common with his siblings and began to slowly withdraw from everyday life. The family built him a separate house in their back yard which became his studio. As well as writing, Christy also enjoyed painting, which he accomplished with his left foot. He worked with the Disabled Artists Association, producing on average one painting a week for five years. With the help of Dr Collis, he continued to write, and published the hugely successful autobiography "Down All the Days" in 1970. It was followed by "A Shadow of Summer" (1972), "Wild Grow the Lilies" (1976) and "A Promising Career" (published posthumously in 1982). He also published three poetry collections: "Come Softly to My Wake", "Background Music" and "Of Snails and Skylarks".
In October 1972 Christy married his nurse Mary Carr in Sutton, County Dublin. They lived for a while in Ballyheigue, County Kerry and then moved to Somerset in England. Christy Brown died in Somerset in September 1981.
His remains were brought back to Dublin and buried in Glasnevin cemetery. In 1989 Irish director Jim Sheridan directed Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker in the film version of "My Left Foot". The screenplay had been written by Shane Connaughton. Both actors won academy awards for their performances and the film was nominated in five categories, including best picture.
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