Pulitzer-prize winning US writer discovers his ‘long-lost’ Kilkenny cousins
AN acclaimed US Pulitzer prize-winning author was delighted to get in touch with his “long lost cousins” in Kilkenny recently.
The family connection came about after The Book Centre recently ordered a new tome called ‘Storm Lake’, which was penned by Irish American journalist Art Cullen.
Art won a Pulitzer Prize in 2017 for editorials he wrote in The Storm Lake Times, a newspaper he publishes in Storm Lake, Iowa, with his brother John.
In his editorials Art challenged powerful agricultural companies over farm pollution, and he lost a few friends and advertisers as a result.
But it appears his prize-winning work has reunited him with his relatives in Kilkenny – where his family has ties going back five generations.
He recently tweeted about his “long lost cousin”, John Joe Cullen of Cullen Butchers on John Street, who responded by wishing his famous relative success with his book.
John Joe told KilkennyNow.ie: “Tell him the Cú would be proud of him.”
Art expressed his wish to come to Kilkenny soon to meet his relatives in person. And he’s sure to be given a warm literary welcome in the Marble City when he does.
