(born Jan. 9, 1929, near Omagh, County Tyrone, N.Ire.) Irish dramatist and short-story writer. Friel taught school in Londonderry before settling in County Donegal, Ireland.
After The New Yorker began publishing his stories, he turned to writing full time. His first dramatic success was Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1963). Later he wrote about the dilemmas of Irish life and the troubles in Northern Ireland in such plays as The Freedom of the City (1973) and Making History (1988). Many of his plays—notably Translations (1980) and Dancing at Lughnasa (1990, Tony Award; film, 1998)—deal with family relationships and their connection to language, customs, and the land. His short-story collections include The Diviner (1983).
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