And the Winner Is...

Vertical Steam Engine, Cambridgeshire, (c. 1854)

Astonishing news. The Nobel Prize for Literature is to be awarded tomorrow. I have it on the highest (what other?) authority that the recipient will be Flann O'Brien. Well, think of it, man, today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of O'Brien, or, as he sometimes referred to himself, "My Excellency"--novelist, columnist, proto-blogger, drama critic (especially of anything on at the Abbey), hard man on the cliché ("cataclichm"), and above all, steam man.

True, the rules are very clear that the prize can only be awarded to a living person, and O'Brien died in 1966. But those clever Swedes have found a way around this minor deterrent: They will award the prize to Myles na Gopaleen, the name under which Flann O'Brien wrote his daily "Cruiskeen Lawn" column in the Irish Times for some 27 years. After all, there's no evidence he ever died.

Who will accept the prize? Don't be surprised if the old gent's bicycle itself shows up to do the honors. There's still time to contact your bookmaker. (Forward the customary 10% of winnings to: The Research Bureau, C/o Benito's Italian Restaurant, 46/47 Castle Street (Opposite Tramyard), Dalkey, County Dublin, Eire.)


If not for Literature, at the very least for Engineering. In this space, tomorrow, I'll reprise Myles' plan to modernize the Irish roads among other engineering marvels.

Tim Pat Coogan tells of trying to keep O'Brien (born Brian O'Nolan) away from the drink long enough to conduct a reasonably sober radio interview. They failed--the  interview went on but was unairable. We do have an RTE interview with The Brother, yes, Kevin O'Nolan, with stories of his older brother Brian as a child and at work on At Swim Twobirds, intercut with readings from that novel and other works of the master. (There are several other parts on YouTube, all worth listenting to.)

So, here's to Flann, Brian, Myles and his other doppel and tripelgangers. Happy Birthday! Gob, me bus. Cheers!