Seán O’Casey born John Casey; 30 March 1880 – 18 September 1964) was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.
O’Casey was born at 85 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin, as John Casey, the son of Michael Casey, a mercantile clerk (who worked for the Irish Church Missions), and Susan Archer.
His parents were Protestants and he was a member of the Church of Ireland, baptised on 28 July 1880 in St. Mary’s parish,confirmed at St John the Baptist Church in Clontarf, and an active member of St. Barnabas’ Church on Sheriff Street until his mid-20s, when he drifted away from the church. There is a church called ‘Saint Burnupus’ in his play Red Roses For Me.
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