Kenneth Sarr

Kenneth Sheils Reddin (born John Kenneth Sheils Reddin; 1895 – 17 August 1967 ) known by the pen name Kenneth Sarr, was an Irish author and judge.

Biography

Reddin was born in Dublin to John [J. J.] and Annie Reddin. where Thomas McDonagh and Patrick Pearse were formative influences. He joined the Irish Volunteers and was interned after the Easter Rising. He attended University College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor. He was a member of the United Arts Club and sometime President of the Irish PEN Club. He visited James Joyce in Paris several times, first with a gift of Olhausen's black pudding, later at a PEN congress. Joyce, during his father's final illness, telegraphed Reddin's brother Dr Kerry Reddin about his treatment.

Reddin supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty and his father's house in Artane was burned in the Irish Civil War. In 1922 he was appointed a District Court judge based in Mullingar, and then Dublin districts. As well as writing plays and novels, he collected humorous anecdotes from his judicial work intended for a book to be called Laughter in My Court. In 1941 he objected to an article in PEN's magazine which he said was "propaganda, attacking the neutrality of Eire, and that all we wanted was to be left alone". In 1948, Erina Brady appointed him President of her short-lived Dublin Dance Theatre Club.

He retired from the bench on 19 March 1965.

His papers are held by the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas.

+Works written by Kenneth Sarr / Kenneth Reddin Work Year Type Notes The Changeling 1920 Play A two-act allegory produced by the Irish Theatre Company. "In a Sinn Fein Court" 1922 Article In The Belvederian The Passing 1924 Play Subtitled "A tragedy in one act". Produced by the Abbey Theatre on 9 December 1924. Its subject matter, a prostitute with an idiot son, was condemned by some viewers. Somewhere To The Sea 1936 Novel A roman a clef set around the truce ending the Irish War of Independence.