Irish American author Kevin Barry O’Connor grew up in a Delaware County neighborhood that was 60 percent Irish and 40 percent Italian in a very Irish-centric house, but he had never gone “100 miles in any direction” until he was an adult, writes Fionnuala Boyle for the Irish Star.

As a child, he launched living room productions. He studied mime, circus acts, acting, dance, and writing for the stage.

He’s been a storyteller most of his life, inspired by his late father, who died when he was 11, and his Irish grandfather.

“My dad was known as the storyteller of the neighborhood,” O’Connor explained. “He would round the kids up and make up stories on the spot. He had a big influence on me, as did my grandfather, who lived with us growing up.

O’Connor’s now left the neighborhood and traveled extensively, using his travels to provide content for two novels, Threshold and The Key to Kells, exploring the Irish and African diasporas.

It’s an opportunity for O’Connor to reflect on his own Irish ancestry.

The 70-year-old is a passionate historian, explorer, and more.

Find out more about Kevin Barry O’Connor’s own history and about his adventures in the Irish Star.