Bridget O'Connor (18 January 1961 – 22 September 2010) was a BAFTA-winning author, playwright and screenwriter. O'Connor was born in Harrow, north-west London, the second of five children. Her father Jim was from Cork in Ireland, and her mother Bridie was from Limerick. Despite living in Harrow, O'Connor was surrounded by cèilidh bands and Irish dancing, spending her summer holidays on Banna Strand. She attended Catholic schools, before graduating from Lancaster University in 1982 with a degree in English and Creative Writing. After her studies, she worked in a building-site canteen and bookshop.
