Kenneth Sarr

Not to be confused with Kenneth Starr (disambiguation).

Kenneth Sheils Reddin (born John Kenneth Sheils Reddin; 1895 – 17 August 1967^[1]) known by the pen name Kenneth Sarr, was an Irish author and judge.^[2][3][4]

Biography

Reddin was born in Dublin to John [J. J.] and Annie Reddin.^[4] He attended Belvedere College, Clongowes Wood College, and from 1910 Scoil Éanna,^[5] where Thomas McDonagh and Patrick Pearse were formative influences.^[6] His first pseudonym was Kenneth Esser (from "Kenneth S. R.") later shortened to Kenneth Sarr.^[7] He joined the Irish Volunteers and was interned after the Easter Rising.^[4] Literary figures often met at J.J. Reddin's house and Kenneth was associated with the Irish Theatre Company in Hardwicke Street, where his brothers Kerry and Norman acted.^[8] He attended University College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor.^[3] He was a member of the United Arts Club^[9] and sometime President of the Irish PEN Club.^[10] He visited James Joyce in Paris several times, first with a gift of Olhausen's black pudding, later at a PEN congress.^[11][12] Joyce, during his father's final illness, telegraphed Reddin's brother Dr Kerry Reddin about his treatment.^[13][14]

Reddin supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty and his father's house in Artane was burned in the Irish Civil War.^[15] In 1922 he was appointed a District Court judge based in Mullingar,^[4] later moving to the Newbridge^[16] and then Dublin districts.^[17] In court he wore what Terry De Valera called "his self-designed headdress like a black biretta".^[18] 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.^[19] 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".^[20] In 1948, Erina Brady appointed him President of her short-lived Dublin Dance Theatre Club.^[21]

He retired from the bench on 19 March 1965.^[17]

His papers are held by the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas.^[22]

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.[7] The premiere was postponed a week from Bloody Sunday and the audience was "meagre" due to the curfew then in force.[23]
"In a Sinn Fein Court"	1922	Article	In The Belvederian[24]
The Passing	1924	Play	Subtitled "A tragedy in one act". Produced by the Abbey Theatre on 9 December 1924.[25][6][5] Won the drama prize at the 1924 Tailteann Games.[26][27] Its subject matter, a prostitute with an idiot son, was condemned by some viewers.[27][26]
Old Mag	1924	Play	Subtitled "A Christmas play in one act". Produced by the Abbey Theatre on 22 December 1924.[26][6]
The white bolle-trie	1927	Novel	Subtitled "A wonder story". A children's story.[28]
Somewhere To The Sea	1936	Novel	A roman a clef set around the truce ending the Irish War of Independence.[2][9]
Another Shore	1945	Novel	adapted in 1948 into an Ealing comedy of the same name.[6] Published in the United States as Young man with a dream.
"A Man called Pearse"	1945	Article	In Studies.[29]