St. John Greer Ervine

St. John Greer Ervine (28 December 1883 – 24 January 1971) was an Irish writer known for his work as a biographer, novelist, critic, dramatist, and theatre manager. He was one of the most important writers from Ulster in the early twentieth century. His writing had a big influence on other famous playwrights like W. B. Yeats and Sean O'Casey.

One of his famous books, The Wayward Man, was among the first novels to look at the people and problems of Belfast in a special way. His work helped shape Irish literature and drama during his time.

Biography

John Greer Irvine, known as St John Ervine, was born in Ballymacarrett, a part of east Belfast. His family had lived in County Down for many generations. After his father passed away, Ervine moved in with his grandmother. At 17, he started working in an office in Belfast before moving to London.

In London, Ervine met George Bernard Shaw and began writing plays. His first major play, Mixed Marriage, was performed at Dublin's Abbey Theatre in 1911 and became very popular. Ervine later worked as the manager of the Abbey Theatre, where he helped bring back its success with new comedies. He also served in the military during the war years and was wounded, which led to him leaving the service.

Ervine became well-known for his plays and novels, writing many successful works over the years. He also wrote biographies about important figures, including William Booth, Oscar Wilde, and George Bernard Shaw. His novel The Wayward Man is especially noted for showing life in Belfast.

Personal life

In 1911, Ervine married Leonora Mary Davis, a teacher, actress, and playwright from Birmingham. They later moved to Seaton, Devon in the 1940s.

Ervine passed away on 24 January 1971 in Fitzhall, Iping, Sussex.

Selected plays

St. John Greer Ervine wrote many plays, including Mixed Marriage, The Magnanimous Lover, The Critics, Jane Clegg, The Orangeman, John Ferguson, and many more.

Recently, Mixed Marriage was performed at the Finborough Theatre in London, where it received great praise. The same theatre also performed John Ferguson in 2014 and Jane Clegg in 2019.

Novels

St. John Greer Ervine wrote many novels. Some of his well-known books include The Tailor of Charing Cross from 1912, Mrs Martin's Man from 1914, Alice and a Family from 1915, Changing Winds from 1917, The Foolish Lovers from 1920, and The Wayward Man from 1927. His novel The Wayward Man was later republished in 2014 by Turnpike Books in Dublin.