Irish novelist and screenwriter known for his novels Lamb, Cal, and Grace Notes.
He attended Queen's University Belfast and was writer-in-residence as several universities: Universities of Aberdeen, Liverpool John Moores, Augsburg, and Iowa State.
He also wrote radio plays and libretti and had five volumes of short stories published.
He had four children with his wife, Madeline.
Liam Neeson starred in the film adaptation of his novel, Lamb, for which he also wrote the screenplay.