Colin Bateman

Northern Irish author and journalist

This article is about the writer. For the Watford footballer, see Colin Bateman (footballer).

Colin Bateman

Born|  (1962-06-13) 13 June 1962 (age 63)
Newtownards, Northern Ireland
Pen name| Bateman
Occupation| Novelist
Language| English
Education| Journalism
Genre| Crime, Dark comedy, Thriller
Notable works| Dan Starkey, Murphy's Law & Mystery Man novels
Notable awards| Betty Trask Award (1994)[1]
Crimefest Last Laugh (2009)[2]
Website
colinbateman.com

Colin Bateman (known mononymously as Bateman) is a novelist, screenwriter and former journalist from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.

## Biography

[edit]

Born on 13 June 1962, Bateman attended Bangor Grammar School leaving at 16 when he was hired by Annie Roycroft to join the County Down Spectator as a "cub" reporter, then columnist and deputy editor.[3][4] A collection of his columns was published as Bar Stool Boy in 1989.

Bateman has been writing novels since his debut, Divorcing Jack, in 1994.[4] Divorcing Jack won a Betty Trask Award in the same year and was adapted into a 1998 film starring David Thewlis.[5][6] Several of Bateman's novels featured the semi-autobiographical Belfast journalist, Dan Starkey.[6]

His book Murphy's Law was adapted from the BBC television series Murphy's Law (2001–2007), featuring James Nesbitt. Bateman explains on his website that "Murphy's Law was written specifically for James Nesbitt, a local actor who became a big TV star through Cold Feet. The ninety-minute pilot for Murphy's Law on BBC 1 was seen by more than seven million people, and led to three TV series, on which I was the chief writer."[4]

His 8 part series Scúp was written in English and translated into Irish. It was produced by Sterling Films & BBC Northern Ireland. A second series has since been commissioned.[7]

His children's book Titanic 2020 was shortlisted for the 2008 Salford Children's Book Award.[8][9]

Much of his work is produced under the name "Bateman" (rather than his full name); his 2007 novel I Predict a Riot bears (among others) the dedication: "For my Christian name, gone but not forgotten".[10] Since 2016 Bateman has moved increasingly into film, writing the screenplays for 'The Journey', starring Timothy Spall and Colm Meaney, and 'Driven' starring Jason Sudeikis and Lee Pace. Both films were premiered at the Venice Film Festival and selected for the Toronto Film Festival.[11] He is currently writing films about Fidel Castro in New York, 'The Hotel Theresa' and the British double agent George Blake.

## Novels

[edit]

### For children

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Eddie & the Gang with No Name

* Reservoir Pups (2003)
* Bring Me the Head of Oliver Plunkett (2004)
* The Seagulls Have Landed (2005)

Titanic 2020

* Titanic 2020 (2007)
* Titanic 2020: Cannibal City (2008)

SOS Adventures

* Ice Quake (2010)
* Fire Storm (2010)
* Tusk (2011)

### For adults

[edit]

Dan Starkey

* Divorcing Jack (1995)
* Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (1996)
* Turbulent Priests (1999)
* Shooting Sean (2001)
* The Horse with My Name (2002)
* Driving Big Davie (2004)
* Belfast Confidential (2005)
* Nine Inches (2011)
* Fire and Brimstone (2013)
* The Dead Pass (2014)

Martin Murphy

* Murphy's Law (2002)
* Murphy's Revenge (2005)

Mystery Man

* Mystery Man (2009)
* The Day of the Jack Russell (2009)
* Dr. Yes (2010)
* The Prisoner of Brenda (2012)

Non-Series

* Cycle of Violence (1995)
* Empire State (1997)
* Maid of the Mist (1999)
* Mohammed Maguire (2001)
* Wild About Harry (2001)
* Chapter and Verse (2003)
* I Predict A Riot (2007)
* Orpheus Rising (2008)
* Paper Cuts (2016)

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## Film and TV

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* Divorcing Jack (1998)
* Crossmaheart (1998)
* Wild About Harry (2000)
* Turbulent Priests (Unproduced – Bateman having written the screenplay) (2000)
* Watermelon (2003)
* Scúp (TV, 2013–14)
* The Journey (2016)
* Driven (2018)

## See also

[edit]

* List of Northern Irish writers

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Betty Trask Past Winners | Society of Authors – Protecting the rights and furthering the interests of authors". Society of Authors. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
2. ^ "Colin Bateman wins Last Laugh Award". Curtisbrown.co.uk. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
3. ^ Unknown (8 February 2016). "'I've high hopes for my Paisley and McGuinness film... some will love it and others will just hate it'". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
4. ^ a b c "Biography". colinbateman.com. Colin Bateman. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
5. ^ "Betty Trask Award: Past winners". Society of Authors. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
6. ^ a b "Mohammed Maguire: The author". Nerve Centre Productions. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
7. ^ "SCUP". filmbase.ie.com. Filmbase.ie. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
8. ^ "2008 Book Award – Salford City Council". Salford.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
9. ^ Colin (16 January 2009). "All the latest...: In the shadow of Old Trafford". Batemansnewblog.blogspot.com. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
10. ^ "Colin Bateman: Last Book!". Colinbatemansblog.blogspot.com. 10 October 2006. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
11. ^ the author)

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Colin Bateman at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Works by Colin Bateman

Adult|

| Dan Starkey|

* Divorcing Jack (1995)
* Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (1996)
* Turbulent Priests (1999)
* Shooting Sean (2001)
* The Horse with My Name (2002)
* Driving Big Davie (2004)
* Belfast Confidential (2005)
* Nine Inches (2011)

|

Martin Murphy|

* Murphy's Law (2002)
* Murphy's Revenge (2005)

Other novels|

* Cycle of Violence (1995)

Young-adult|

| Eddie & the Gang
with No Name|

* Reservoir Pups (2003)
* Bring Me the Head of Oliver Plunkett (2004)
* The Seagulls Have Landed (2005)

|

Titanic 2020|

* Titanic 2020 (2007)
* Titanic 2020: Cannibal City (2008)

Others|

* SOS Adventures (2010–2011)

Films|

* Divorcing Jack (1998)
* Crossmaheart (1998)
* Wild About Harry (2000)
* Watermelon (2003)
* The Journey (2016)
* Driven (2018)

TV series|

* Murphy's Law (2001–2007)
* Rebus: "The First Stone" (2007)
* Scúp (2013–2014)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Czech Republic
* Netherlands
* Greece
* Sweden
* Poland
* Israel
* Belgium

Other|

* IdRef
* Yale LUX

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