Gerard Mannix Flynn

Irish writer, actor and politician. Born in 1957 in Dublin, he has worked for film, theatre and television, writing for various newspapers, magazines, and periodicals. He is a member of the Dublin City Council and the Aosdána Association, bringing together 250 living Irish artists who have created outstanding works of art considered as particularly original and creative. In 1983, he published an autobiographical novel, Nothing to Say, and in 2002, a drama entitled James X. As an artist and politician, Mannix has dedicated himself to pursuing equality and justice. He has conducted long-term campaigns aiming to expose the institutional abuses of power in juvenile halls and sexual abuse among the clergy. He is a staunch believer in universal education with a strong emphasis on the awareness of the destructive impact of addictions. His recent projects include Marathon Irish (www.marathonirish.com) prepared for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and Control - an installation containing sewn works of art related to Irish themes, the enclosures of Magdalene sisters administered by Catholic orders. His drama entitled: James X took place on 22th October in The Bagatela Theater.