| BILLY ROCHE |
Billy Roche was born in Wexford, Ireland , where he still
lives with his wife Patti and their three daughters. His
first novel, TUMBLING DOWN, was published by
Wolfhound Press in 1986 and draws on his early years
in Wexford and the characters that frequented his
father's bar on Wexford's waterfront. His first stage play,
A HANDFUL OF STARS, was performed at the Bush
Theatre, London two years later and won the John
Whiting and Plays and Players Awards for Best Play.
His next play, POOR BEAST IN THE RAIN, won the 1989
George Devine Award and the Thames Television
Award. The latter provided Billy with a bursary to
become writer-in-residence at the Bush and write his
third play, BELFRY, completing THE WEXFORD
TRILOGY. BELFRY won both the London Fringe Award
for Best Play 1991 and a TIME OUT Award in 1992.
THE WEXFORD TRILOGY was filmed for the B.B.C.,
directed by the late Stuart Burge. AMPHIBIANS became
Billy’s fourth play, which was commissioned for the R.S.
C., and was first performed at The Pit, directed by
Michael Attenborough. This was followed by THE
CAVALCADERS at the Peacock Theatre, Dublin and
The Royal Court, London. Billy wrote the screenplay for
TROJAN EDDIE, which was directed by Gillies McKinnon
and starred Steven Rea and Richard Harris. TROJAN
EDDIE won the best film award at The San Sebastian
Film Festival in 1996.Billy has been Writer-in-
Association with both Druid Theatre and The Abbey
Theatre. In 2001 his play ON SUCH AS WE was
performed at the Abbey Theatre starring Brendan
Gleeson and directed by Wilson Milam. He has just
completed a collection of short stories called "Tales
From Rainwater Pond", published by Pillar Press. He is
currently working with playwright Conor McPherson on a
screenplay of one of these stories, TABLE MANNERS,
for Treasure films.
lives with his wife Patti and their three daughters. His
first novel, TUMBLING DOWN, was published by
Wolfhound Press in 1986 and draws on his early years
in Wexford and the characters that frequented his
father's bar on Wexford's waterfront. His first stage play,
A HANDFUL OF STARS, was performed at the Bush
Theatre, London two years later and won the John
Whiting and Plays and Players Awards for Best Play.
His next play, POOR BEAST IN THE RAIN, won the 1989
George Devine Award and the Thames Television
Award. The latter provided Billy with a bursary to
become writer-in-residence at the Bush and write his
third play, BELFRY, completing THE WEXFORD
TRILOGY. BELFRY won both the London Fringe Award
for Best Play 1991 and a TIME OUT Award in 1992.
THE WEXFORD TRILOGY was filmed for the B.B.C.,
directed by the late Stuart Burge. AMPHIBIANS became
Billy’s fourth play, which was commissioned for the R.S.
C., and was first performed at The Pit, directed by
Michael Attenborough. This was followed by THE
CAVALCADERS at the Peacock Theatre, Dublin and
The Royal Court, London. Billy wrote the screenplay for
TROJAN EDDIE, which was directed by Gillies McKinnon
and starred Steven Rea and Richard Harris. TROJAN
EDDIE won the best film award at The San Sebastian
Film Festival in 1996.Billy has been Writer-in-
Association with both Druid Theatre and The Abbey
Theatre. In 2001 his play ON SUCH AS WE was
performed at the Abbey Theatre starring Brendan
Gleeson and directed by Wilson Milam. He has just
completed a collection of short stories called "Tales
From Rainwater Pond", published by Pillar Press. He is
currently working with playwright Conor McPherson on a
screenplay of one of these stories, TABLE MANNERS,
for Treasure films.
