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Brian Friel was born in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, and in 1939 moved with his family to Derry. He published two collections of short stories, 'A Saucer of Larks' and 'The Gold in the Sea.' In 1980, Brian Friel co-founded the Field Day Theatre Company in Derry. His numerous awards include the London Evening Standard Award for 'Aristocrats' (1988) and again for 'The Home Place' (2005), a Tony Award (1992) and Laurence Olivier Award (1991) for the massively successful 'Dancing at Lughnasa' and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Times (1999). Brian Friel served in the Senate from 1987 to 1989. He received honorary doctorates from NUI, TCD, DCU, Magee University and Queen's University and was an Honorary Fellow of UCD, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was a member of Aosdána, where held the position of Saoi, and a patron of Irish Theatre Institute.