John B. Keane (1928 to 2002) was an Irish playwright and novelist from Listowel on Co. Kerry. He one of the best known and successful Irish writers of the late 20th Century and his plays have attracted huge audiences at home and abroad.
Keane ran a pub in Listowel from the 1950's and it was this experience that provided him with the inspiration for many of his best loved characters. He depicted Irish rural life in all its ups and downs, its triumphs and its tragedies. Yet he infused a sharp sense of with and humour into his work. He is one of Ireland's best loved authors.
His works include Sive, Many Young Men of Twenty, Big Maggie, The Matchmaker, The Field, The Year of the Hiker and the Letters series.