Fonds GB 0210 NIALLGRIFF - Niall Griffiths Papers

Niall Griffiths (1966- ) is a writer of novels, short stories, poems, articles, guidebooks and media scripts. He was born in Liverpool and lived in Australia for three years as a child, but has lived most of his life near Aberystwyth. He grew up in a family with strong Welsh connections, and much of his work is set in Wales. As a young boy, Griffiths was inspired by the Rhondda writer Ron Berry, and his difficult experiences while growing up convinced him of the importance of education and also fuelled a desire in him to portray the underside of society in unromantic, spiritual and politically conscious writing. After spending some time in menial jobs, Griffiths took a degree in English and was accepted for a PhD scholarship in poetry at Aberystwyth, which he did not complete; he later disowned work that he did at this time, saying that he needed to unlearn much of his academic education. His writing continued, however, and his interest in the disaffected margins of society in rural Wales led to his first novel, Grits, which was published in 2000 to widespread critical acclaim. His later work followed similar themes, and in 2003 Stump won awards as both the Welsh Books Council Book of the Year and the Arts Council of Wales Book of the Year. His work is intense, uncompromising and often employs challenging language - whether outspoken, vernacular or profane - and it has attracted much admiration while also alienating some readers. Niall Griffiths has been in demand as a contributor to many journals, festivals and workshops, writing about a wide range of subjects, and he is an honorary professor at Wolverhampton University.