Mumblin' Deaf Ro

Mumblin' Deaf Ro
Birth name	Rónán Hession
Born	1975 (age 48–49)
Origin	Dublin
Genres	blues, folk
Instrument	acoustic guitar
Years active	1992 (1992)–present
Labels	Villain Records Popical Island
Website	Mumblin' Deaf Ro on Facebook

Rónán Hession (/ˈroʊnɔːn ˈhɛʃən/ ROH-nawn HESH-ən; born 1975), known as Mumblin' Deaf Ro, is an Irish blues musician and novelist.^[1][2][3][4]

He lives in Dublin with his wife and two children and supports Watford Football Club. He is Assistant General Secretary of the Department of Social Protection.

Musical career (as Mumblin' Def Ro)

Hession has performed in several bands in Dublin: Rinty, Boxcar, and The Critters. He also performed under the name of 'Johnny Horsebox'.^[5] As Mumblin' Deaf Ro he had his first release in 2003. His 2012 album Dictionary Crimes was named as Irish album of the year by Nialler9 and the Irish Independent, and was nominated for the Choice Music Prize.^[6]

Discography

Albums

• Señor, My Friend (2002)^[7]
• The Herring and the Brine (2007)^[8]
• Dictionary Crimes (2012)^[9][10]

Publications (as Rónán Hession)

Hession has to date published two acclaimed novels:

Leonard and Hungry Paul (Bluemoose Books, 2019) ISBN 978-1612198484^[11][12][13]

Panenka (Bluemoose Books, 2021) ISBN 978-1910422670^[14][15]

His third, Ghost Mountain, will be published by Bluemoose Books in 2023.

He reviews fiction for the Irish Times, with a particular focus on fiction in translation, and has also written articles for LitHub about writing practice, such as

The quest for kindness is one of literature's great challenges

Awards and recognition

• 2019 An Post Irish Book Awards Best Newcomer (shortlist): Leonard and Hungry Paul
• 2019 Dalkey Festival debut of The Year (shortlist): Leonard and Hungry Paul
• 2019 Society of Author's debut of The Year (shortlist): Leonard and Hungry Paul
• 2019 #BooksAreMYBag Book of The Year (shortlist): Leonard and Hungry Paul
• 2019 Republic of Consciousness Prize 2019 (longlist): Leonard and Hungry Paul
• 2019 Irish Book Awards Newcomer of The Year (shortlist): Leonard and Hungry Paul
• 2020 An Post Irish Book Awards Short Story of the Year (longlist) 'The Translator's Funeral'
• 2020 British Book Awards Debut Book of the Year (finalist): Leonard and Hungry Paul
• 2021 An Post Irish Book Awards Author of the Year (shortlist) Panenka
• 2021 An Post Irish Books Award for Novel of the Year (shortlist) Panenka
• 2021 Books Are My Bag Awards Novel of the Year (shortlist) Panenka
• 2021 One Dublin One Book: Leonard and Hungry Paul

References

1. ""You Just Have To Commit To It" – An Interview With Mumblin' Deaf Ro". 20 September 2012.
2. Crumlish, Niall (9 November 2018). ""Grief changes you" — Mumblin' Deaf Ro interview from 2012".
3. "From drunken hobo to Buddhist monk". The Myanmar Times. 20 March 2015.
4. "Mumblin' Deaf Ro - Dictionary Crimes | Review | Album Review". GoldenPlec.
5. "CLUAS | Interviews | Mumblin' Deaf Ro". www.cluas.com.
6. "Dictionary Crimes, by Mumblin Deaf Ro". Mumblin Deaf Ro.
7. "Mumblin' Deaf Ro – Senor, My Friend – Indiecater Records".
8. "Mumblin' Deaf Ro - The Herring and the Brine". 13 July 2007 – via www.rte.ie. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
9. Murphy, Lauren. "Mumblin' Deaf Ro". The Irish Times.
10. "Ronan's simple dictionary of family life". independent.
11. "A Review of: Leonard and Hungry Paul, by Ronan Hession". Believer Magazine. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
12. LEONARD AND HUNGRY PAUL | Kirkus Reviews.
13. O’Grady, Carrie (29 March 2019). "Leonard and Hungry Paul by Rónán Hession review – a gentle curiosity". the Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
14. "Panenka by Rónán Hession review – moments of grace". the Guardian. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
15. "Panenka: Friendship, love and forgiveness after the final whistle". independent. Retrieved 22 May 2022.

External links

• Mumblin' Deaf Ro on Twitter
• Mumblin' Deaf Ro on bandcamp
• Irish Times author profile https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/r%C3%B3n%C3%A1n-hession-i-m-okay-with-writing-books-that-fit-into-my-life-1.4514846
• Irish Times author interview https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/my-book-is-a-tribute-to-the-kindness-i-have-experienced-all-my-life-1.3817979