News and Events : News 06-07

Author Malachy McCourt
to Give NMH Commencement Address

GILL, MA—Respected actor, playwright, commentator, critic, newspaper columnist, historian, and radio and television personality Malachy McCourt will be the commencement speaker for the Northfield Mount Hermon School class of 2007. In addition to his many accomplishments, McCourt is the grandfather of a member of the graduating class, Mark McCourt.

Born in Brooklyn, but raised in Limerick, Ireland, he led a hardscrabble existence, leaving school at 13 to work as a laborer in Ireland and England. At age 20, McCourt returned to the United States, where held a series of manual labor jobs until he became an actor. Throughout his life, Ireland and his Irish heritage clearly have impacted McCourt's outlook, resilience and respect for the power of words.

McCourt recently has been touring on stage in A Couple of Blaguards, a play he cowrote with his brother and noted author Frank McCourt. In addition to penning a weekly column “Sez I To Myself” that appears in three New York newspapers, McCourt has written eight books and published articles in such periodicals as National Geographic and the New York Times. His books include a New York Times best seller memoir A Monk Swimming and another memoir Singing My Him Song. In addition he had written several histories, including Voices of Ireland (an anthology), Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland. He also has written Harold Be Thy Name and Bush Lies in State.

McCourt has been a regular guest on television shows, including “Late Night with Conan O'Brien” and will be appearing on the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” in May. He also ran for governor in New York on the Green party ticket in 2006. McCourt has received awards and recognitions from numerous organizations. He has appeared on Broadway and Off-Broadway stages, and has played parts on television and in films such as The Molly Maguires, She's the One, The Devil's Own, Green Card, Gods and Generals and Ash Wednesday.

Malachy McCourt has been married for nearly 40 years to his wife Diana. They have five children, and Mark is one of their four grandchildren.

Contact: Kate Snyder, 413-498-3357 or ksnyder@nmhschool.org.

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