Mick Donnellan

Mick Donnellan works as a successful Novelist, Playwright and Screenwriter. Film credits include Tiger Raid (2016) adapted from Mick’s Play Radio Luxembourg. Optioned by London Film Company Dixon/Baxi/Evans, the script was developed in London and shot in Jordan.  Starring Brian Gleeson, Damian Molony and Sofia Boutella, it was accepted into the Tribeca film festival (New York) and was also seen at Cannes and Edinburgh. The Irish Premiere was screened at the Galway Film Fleadh and you can watch the Tiger Raid trailer here.

Mick is also the author of five novels.

El Niño (2012)

Fisherman’s Blues (2014)

Mokusatsu (2019)

The Naked Flame (2022)

The Dead Soup (2023)

Editor: Tales from the Heart

He received the Agility Award through the Arts Council of Ireland (June 2023) and the Mayo Theatre Bursary through Mayo Arts Office. (April 2023)

His Play Nally was supported by Westmeath Arts Office and produced in May 2021.

In May 2020 Mick had a monologue (The Crucified Silence) chosen as part of the Scripts Ireland Play festival. After a week of intensive workshops with Playwright Eugene O’Brien, the monologue was directed by Jim Culleton (Fishamble) and performed by Aaron Monaghan.

Mick was recently part of the Galway Theatre Development Programme (2021/22) run by Andrew Flynn in conjunction with Galway’s Town Hall Theatre.  Other Plays include Sunday Morning Coming Down, Shortcut to Hallelujah, Gun Metal Grey, and Velvet Revolution and Checkpoint Charlie.

He is listed on the Irish theatre institute here:  http://irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=47564

More about Mick Donnellan

Mick Donnellan completed the MA in Writing at NUIG in 2004. Since then he has worked as a novelist, journalist, travel writer, teacher and playwright. He completed his first novel, El Niño, in 2005 and immediately secured a literary agent. He left Ireland soon after and went on to live in Spain, Australia and Canada. While traveling he worked as a travel writer and journalist and co-founded the Arts Paper – Urban Pie – in Vancouver. Upon returning to Ireland he went on to work with Druid (2009) and RTE (2010).

Later, he established his own theatre company, Truman Town Theatre. All Truman Town Plays are written, directed, and produced by Mick. The company exploded on to the theatrical circuit in 2011 with their hit Play – Sunday Morning Coming Down. Following a national tour, they went on to produce (and tour) two more hugely successful Plays Shortcut to Hallelujah and Gun Metal Grey. These dramas eventually became known as the “Ballinrobe Trilogy.”

Moving slightly from rural settings but not themes, the company toured a fourth Play, Velvet Revolution. Written by Mick, this is an intense two hander set in a stark urban landscape, it created interest in Donnellan’s work among the film industry. He followed Velvet Revolution with his fifth Play – Radio Luxembourg and it was immediately optioned by London Film Company Dixon/Baxi/Evans and adapted for the screen.

While the film was in development, Mick’s second novel – Fisherman’s Blues – was published to great acclaim. As it rose up the ranks, and enjoyed positive reviews, Mick was taken on board as screenwriter on the Radio Luxembourg project.
After some months commuting to and from London, the script was signed off and a shoot organised in the Jordanian desert.

Titled Tiger Raid and Starring Brian Gleeson, Damian Molony and Sofia Boutella, it was accepted into the Tribeca film festival (New York) and was also seen at Cannes and Edinburgh, and the Irish Premiere was screened at the Galway Film Fleadh.
Trailer for Tiger Raid –

http://dixonbaxievans.com/tiger-raid/

Most recent projects include working on the exciting screen adaptation of Shortcut to Hallelujah with Florence Films. The screenplay is titled Sam and is based around the gypsy curse supposedly set on the Mayo Football team as they returned home as All Ireland Champions in 1951. Set in the present day, Sam is drenched in Irish lyricism and modern day dark humour. The script has been met with keen interest by film producers and actors throughout the industry.

Mick has enjoyed lecturing in Creative Writing at Galway’s University and TUS (formerly Athlone Institute of Technology) in County Westmeath. April 2019 saw the release of well received Tales from the Heart which was a collection of creative work from his students. It was launched at AIT by bestselling author and esteemed politician Mary O’Rourke.