Billy Roche

BILLY ROCHE’S first novel, Tumbling Down, was published by Wolfhound Press in 1986 (revised version published by Tassel Publications in 2008). His first stage play, A Handful Of Stars, was staged at The Bush Theatre in 1988. This was followed by Poor Beast In the Rain in 1990. Belfry completed this powerful trilogy at the Bush Theatre. All three plays, directed by Robin LeFevre, became known as the Wexford Trilogy and were performed in their entirety at The Bush, the Peacock and the Theatre Royal, Wexford. Later the Wexford Trilogy was filmed for the B.B.C. directed by the late and great Stuart Burge. His fourth play Amphibians was commissioned by the R.S.C. and performed at the Barbican. This was followed by The Cavalcaders at The Peacock and Royal Court, London. He wrote the screenplay for Trojan Eddie, which was directed by Gillies MacKinnon and starred Stephen Rea and Richard Harris. Trojan Eddie won the Best Film Award at The San Sebastian Film Festival in 1996. His sixth play On Such As We was performed at the Peacock in 2001, directed by Wilson Milam and starring Brendan Gleeson. Tales From Rainwater Pond, his collection of short stories was published by Pillar Press in 2006. Lay Me Down Softly, his 7th play, was originally performed at the Peacock Theatre in 2008, directed by Wilson Milam. His 8th play OF MORNINGTON was performed by SCALDER THEATRE in 2016. Billy has been Writer-In-Residence at the Bush and Writer –In-Association at Druid and the Abbey Theatre. The Eclipse, a film that was co-written with Conor McPherson won IFTA awards for Best Screenplay and Best Film, directed by Conor McPherson. The film is inspired by Billy’s short story 'Table Manners' (from the Tales From Rainwater Pond collection). In 2013 his short novella The Diary Of Maynard Perdu was published by Lantern.ie