Puckoon
Encyclopedia
Puckoon is a comic novel
by Spike Milligan
, first published in 1963. It is his first full-length novel, and only major fictional work. Set in 1924, it details the troubles brought to the fictional Irish village of Puckoon by the Partition of Ireland
: the new border, due to the incompetence of the Boundary Commission
, passes directly through the village, with most of the village placed in the independent Irish Free State
, but with a significant portion to Northern Ireland
.
The protagonist of the novel is the feckless Dan Milligan, a man so lazy that the author is obliged to take direct action to prevent him spending the entire novel lounging about at home; thus alerted to his status as a fictional character, Dan frequently breaks the fourth wall
, speaking directly to the writer about the trouble he has been made to endure.
version, read by the author, was released on LP and cassette.
A film adaptation, written and directed by Terence Ryan
, was released in 2002. It starred Sean Hughes
as the renamed Dan Madigan and (after Spike Milligan's poor health prevented him from taking part) Richard Attenborough
as the narrator. Jane Milligan, Spike's daughter, appears in a small role.
Puckoon was adapted for the stage by Vincent Higgins and Zoe Seaton on commission by Big Telly Theatre Company. It toured Ireland from January–March 2009 and again in early 2010.
has stated that this idea was partly the inspiration for his Interzone
story "Sundowner Sheila", which takes place on a planet where the sun is always directly overhead; the story's narrator continually assumes that the time is always at noon.
Comic novel
A comic novel is a work of fiction in which the writer not only seeks to amuse the reader, but also to make the reader think about controversial issues, sometimes with subtlety and as part of a carefully woven narrative; sometimes, above all other considerations...
by Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
, first published in 1963. It is his first full-length novel, and only major fictional work. Set in 1924, it details the troubles brought to the fictional Irish village of Puckoon by the Partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
: the new border, due to the incompetence of the Boundary Commission
Boundary Commission (Ireland)
The Irish Boundary Commission was a commission which met in 1924–25 to decide on the precise delineation of the border between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland...
, passes directly through the village, with most of the village placed in the independent Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
, but with a significant portion to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
The protagonist of the novel is the feckless Dan Milligan, a man so lazy that the author is obliged to take direct action to prevent him spending the entire novel lounging about at home; thus alerted to his status as a fictional character, Dan frequently breaks the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
, speaking directly to the writer about the trouble he has been made to endure.
Adaptations
An abridged audio bookAudio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
version, read by the author, was released on LP and cassette.
A film adaptation, written and directed by Terence Ryan
Terence Ryan
Terence Ryan is a British film director, writer, and producer.He has written, directed and produced eight feature films and he as also produced and directed an enormous variety of television programs and television series ranging from serious drama and comedy to sport, music and...
, was released in 2002. It starred Sean Hughes
Sean Hughes (comedian)
Sean Hughes is a British-Irish stand-up comedian, writer and actor.-Career:Hughes was born in London, but spent most of his youth in Firhouse, Dublin...
as the renamed Dan Madigan and (after Spike Milligan's poor health prevented him from taking part) Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
as the narrator. Jane Milligan, Spike's daughter, appears in a small role.
Puckoon was adapted for the stage by Vincent Higgins and Zoe Seaton on commission by Big Telly Theatre Company. It toured Ireland from January–March 2009 and again in early 2010.
Influences and inspirations
In the village of Puckoon, the clock on the church steeple is stopped, always giving the same time, but (at all hours of the day) the villagers persist in reading this as the correct time. Science-fiction author F. Gwynplaine MacIntyreF. Gwynplaine MacIntyre
Fergus Gwynplaine MacIntyre was a journalist, novelist, poet and illustrator, who lived in New York City and said he had lived in Scotland and Wales. MacIntyre's writings include the science-fiction novel The Woman Between the Worlds and his anthology of verse and humor pieces MacIntyre's...
has stated that this idea was partly the inspiration for his Interzone
Interzone
Interzone may refer to:* International zone, such as in Tangiers* Interzone , the title of a short story collection by William Burroughs; it is also a setting in his 1959 novel Naked Lunch...
story "Sundowner Sheila", which takes place on a planet where the sun is always directly overhead; the story's narrator continually assumes that the time is always at noon.