{{short description|Irish writer}} {{distinguish|Michael Harding (soccer)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2021}} '''Michael Harding''' (born 1953) is an Irish writer.
==Biography== '''Harding''' was born and raised in Cavan, Ireland. He went to St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, initially graduating as a lay graduate. He then taught for two years in St. Patrick's College in Cavan Town, then worked as a social worker in a prison. He returned to Maynooth as a seminarian and was ordained in 1980, after which he went to work in a parish in Fermanagh. He left the priesthood in 1985,<ref>[http://www.ricorso.net/rx/az-data/authors/h/Harding_MP/life.htm Michael P. Harding] - Biography.</ref> then spent seventeen years practising Buddhism.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}
He is married to the sculptor Cathy Carman (whom he first met in 1984) and they have a daughter Sophia and a son, Simon. He lives in Tarmon, County Leitrim.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}
==Work== He is an active writer of novels and poetry. He is a regular columnist with ''The Irish Times''. He was Writer in Association with The Abbey Theatre in 1993 and was Writer in Residence at Trinity College Dublin, in 1999.<ref name=iw>[http://www.irishwriters-online.com/michaelharding.html Michael Harding] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020134610/http://www.irishwriters-online.com/michaelharding.html |date=2007-10-20 }}, Irish Writers Online.</ref>
==Publications== ===Novels=== * ''Priest'' (1986) * ''The Trouble With Sarah Gullion'' (1988) * ''Bird in the Snow'' (2008)
===Plays=== * ''Strawboys'', Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1987 * ''Una Pooka'', Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1989 * ''Misogynist'', Abbey Theatre, 1990 * ''Burying Brian Boru'', Theatre Omnibus, 1990 * ''Where the Heart is'', Project Arts Centre, 1993 * ''Hubert Murray's Widow'', Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1993 * ''The Kiss'', Project Arts Centre, 1994 * ''Ceacht Houdini'', Amharclann de hIde, 1994 * ''Backsides to the Wind'', Red Kettle, 1995 * ''Sour Grapes'', Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1997 * ''Amazing Grace'', Peacock Abbey Theatre, 1998 * ''Bog Dances'', Steve Wickham and Shake the Spear Theatre @ Dunamaise Arts Centre, 2000 * ''Sleeping a Lovesong'', Project Arts Centre, 2002 * ''Talking Through His Hat'', Dublin Fringe Festival @ The Focus, 2002 * ''Swallow'', Gare St Lazare Players @ Dublin Fringe Festival, 2003 * ''Birdie Birdie'', for Blue Raincoat Theatre, 2004 * ''Tearmann for Siamsa Tire'', The National Folk Theatre of Ireland, 2006 * ''The Tinker's Curse'', Livin' Dred Theatre Company, 2007. * ''Is There Balm in Gilead?'' Pavilion Theatre Dublin, 2007
===Other=== * ''Staring at Lakes'' (winner of the Bord Gais Energy Book of the Year Award * ''Hanging with the Elephant'' * ''Talking with Strangers'' * ''On Tuesdays I'm a Buddhist'' (2017) * ''Chest Pain, A man, a stent and camper van'' (2019)
==Awards== * 1989 - shortlisted for the ''Irish Times'' Aer Lingus Literature Award * 1990 - Stewart Parker Trust Award for Theatre * 1990 - Bank of Ireland RTÉ award for excellence in the arts * 1980 - Hennessy Literary Award for short stories<ref name=iw/> * 2004 - Best Actor, Dublin Fringe Festival for his performance in Gare St Lazare's production of ''Swallow''. * 2006 - Nominated Best Actor in a Supporting Role – British Theatre Management Awards * 2007 - ''The Tinker's Curse'', nominated for Best New Play at the ''Irish Times'' Irish Theatre Awards * 2013 - ''Staring at Lakes'', Non-Fiction Book of the Year Irish Book Awards * 2000 - Member, Aosdána, Irish National Academy for Creative Artists
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harding, Michael}} Category:1953 births Category:Aosdána members Category:Living people Category:20th-century Irish dramatists and playwrights Category:Irish male dramatists and playwrights Category:Irish novelists Category:Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Laicized Roman Catholic priests Category:Irish male novelists Category:Writers from County Cavan Category:21st-century Irish dramatists and playwrights Category:20th-century Irish male writers Category:21st-century Irish male writers