Rónán Hession ( ; born 1975), also known as Mumblin' Deaf Ro, is a multi award nominated writer and Irish

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

musician. He is also Assistant General Secretary of the

Department of Social Protection The Department of Social Protection () is a department of the Government of Ireland, tasked with administering Ireland's social welfare system. It oversees the provision of income support and other social services. It is led by the Minister fo ...

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'. 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 The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...

'', and was nominated for the

Choice Music Prize The Choice Music Prize (), known for sponsorship reasons as the RTÉ Choice Music Prize is an annual music prize awarded to music from a band or solo musician who is born in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland or holds an Irish passport. ...

Discography

;Albums * ''Señor, My Friend'' (2002) * ''The Herring and the Brine'' (2007) * ''Dictionary Crimes'' (2012)

Books

;Novels ''Leonard and Hungry Paul'' ( Bluemoose Books, 2019) ''Panenka'' (Bluemoose Books, 2021) ''Ghost Mountain'' (Bluemoose Books, 2024) ;Other writing He reviews fiction for the ''

Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...

'', with a particular focus on fiction in translation, and has also written articles for ''

LitHub ''Literary Hub'' or ''LitHub'' is a daily literary website that was launched in 2015 by Grove Atlantic president and publisher Morgan Entrekin, American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame editor Terry McDonell, and ''Electric Literature'' ...

.'' In May 2025 it was announced ''Leonard and Hungry Paul'' was in production by the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

and

Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...

as a six part TV Series starring

Alex Lawther Alexander Jonathan Lawther (born 4 May 1995) is an English actor, writer, and director. He made his professional acting debut originating the role of John Blakemore in Sir David Hare's ''South Downs'' in the West End. He made his feature film ...

Jamie-Lee O'Donnell Jamie-Lee O'Donnell (born 4 March 1987) is an actress from Derry, Northern Ireland. She played Michelle Mallon in the Channel 4 sitcom '' Derry Girls''. Early life O’Donnell was born on 4 March 1987 in Derry, Northern Ireland. She attended S ...

and

Laurie Kynaston Laurence Stephen Kynaston (born 24 February 1994) is a Welsh actor. He won an ''Evening Standard'' Theatre Award for his performance in '' The Son'', as well as receiving a WhatsOnStage Award nomination. On television, he starred in the BBC Two ...

adapted by Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson for

BBC Northern Ireland BBC Northern Ireland is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcasting, public broadcaster in Northern Ireland. It is widely available across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. BBC Northern Ireland is one of the four BB ...

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 The Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses is an annual British literary prize founded by the author Neil Griffiths. It rewards fiction published by UK and Irish small presses, defined as those with fewer than five full-time employee ...

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''

Personal life

Hession lives in Dublin with his wife and two children and supports

Watford Football Club Watford Football Club is a professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. The club competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The team played at several grounds in their early history, includi ...

References

External links

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 {{Authority control Irish blues guitarists 1975 births Living people Musicians from County Dublin 20th-century Irish guitarists 21st-century Irish guitarists 20th-century Irish male musicians 21st-century Irish male musicians Irish male guitarists 21st-century Irish novelists 21st-century Irish male writers Irish male novelists