I was delighted to be part of Literacy Week in CBS Ennis where I gave talks to over 300 pupils, and readings from my books, Millie and the Magical Moon, and Winds of Change. Here I am signing copies of my novels in the wonderful Ennis Bookshop.
Drama on Newstalk recently broadcast “HIGH DENSITY”, my comedy-drama about the housing crisis that explores the tensions that arise in a community when one resident in a small cul-de-sac refuses to sell her home to a developer who wants to build apartments on the site.
HIGH DENSITY” is told partly from the perspective of Councilor Benny Kelly, a shifty local representative who is in cahoots with the developer. He also writes an anonymous weekly newspaper column called The Secret Councilor, a juggling act that enables him both to comment on, and drive events.
Deirdre Finnegan is the only resident in a crescent of cottages who is holding out against a developer. The developer is offering the owners 150,000 Euro plus one of the new apartments – but only if all eight cottage owners agree to sell their sites. As a member of the local residents’ association Deirdre clashes with the reactionary Mick Delaney, who is keen to take the inducement.
With other committee members divided on which outcome would be best for the area, the stakes are raised when Emma Johnson, a journalist who is also on the committee, writes an inflammatory article for her paper.
With past resentments and betrayals coming to the surface, the conflicts go beyond housing, and battle lines are drawn. But just when it seems that matters might be resolved, a dramatic intervention takes place, with the outcome twisting in a direction that none of the participants expected.
For their Decade of Centenaries project Meath County Council appointed me Writer-in-Residence.
Over a very enjoyable six-week period I worked with two schools, Boyerstown National School, near Navan, and St Patricks’ National School in Slane.
In both schools we did a collective creative-writing project based on events from the Civil War.
This picture was taken outside Navan library to mark the occasion, and features Tom French of Navan Library, Councillor Sean Drew, Cathaoirleach, Meath County Council, Dympna Herward, Meath Library Services, myself, Ciaran Mangan, Meath County Librarian, and Jackie Maguire, Chief Executive, Meath County Council.
Recently I wrote and directed a video on heritage sites around Castleknock village. Filmed by Conor Diskin, and with original music by Doc O’Connor, the film had its premiere at Castleknock Tennis Club, where it was launched by the Mayor of Fingal, Seana O’Rodaigh. The video has had thousands of downloads on YouTube and has been viewed as far afield as in Britain, Canada, China, the USA, Australia, and Singapore.
The film is fourteen minutes long, and here’s a link for those who would like to view it.
Monaghan Libraries have been doing a wide-reaching One Book, One County project with my novel TAKING SIDES, and it’s been a pleasure to visit schools all over the County Monaghan.
Here’s a picture taken with pupils at Scoil Lorgan in Castleblayney.
Very exciting to have my novel Arrivals translated into Russian. It’s just been published in hardback by Kompas publishers in Moscow with a new cover design, and a new title – By the Banks of the Otonabee. Here’s hoping my new Russian readers enjoy the story.
Documentary on Newstalk recently aired the premiere of ‘Connolly Station – A Day in the Life’, my radio documentary that tells the stories of those who live and work in the vicinity of Ireland’s busiest railway hub, Connolly Station.
Using a lively mix of interviews, location recordings, sound effects and music, Connolly Station – A Day in the Life looks behind the scenes at the country’s premiere railway station.
Jane Cregan of Irish Rail tells of the building of the station, and the role it played during the 1916 Rising.
Kevin Connolly, the Assistant Station Master, reveals how his day begins at five in the morning, with the station itself coming alive at around 7.00 am
We get an insight into life behind the scenes the Central Traffic Control Centre in Connolly, the nerve centre from which Ireland’s rail network is run.
Lisa Dunne of Been and Gone coffee shop talks of changing public tastes, and the lively interactions she has with customer seeking refreshments in the station.
The challenging task of maintaining tracks, level crossing, and bridges falls to Mick Danaher and he gives an insight into the complexity of ensuring that everything runs smoothly.
Keeping clean a train station that’s used by twenty thousand people a day takes effort and planning, and Kevin Connolly explains how it’s achieved.
Jane Cregan outlines Irish Rail’s plans to develop the former station car park and marshalling yard, then the narrator tells the little-known story of the commemoration in Connolly of the railway workers who lost their lives in the Great War.
A vox pop reveals a colourful selection of people’s best rail memories, then we hear how in 1971 Connolly Station was the scene for the famous showdown between customs officers and Irish feminists, who challenged the Republic’s laws banning the sale of contraceptive by buying them in Belfast and bringing them home on the train.
Kevin Connolly discusses the unpredictable day to day duties of the Station Master, while experienced commuters reveal their techniques for getting seats on rush hour trains and relating to fellow passengers.
Steam enthusiast David Houston talks about the work done by the Irish Rail Preservation Society and the highly-popular steam train outings run from Connolly.
Barry Scully discusses the impact of the Luas trams arriving at Connolly, then we hear of the contingency plans that go into place in the station in the event of an emergency closing of a rail line.
Sean Reid tells how the North Star Hotel – today re-branded as The Address – has always had strong links with Connolly and he reveals some of the hotel’s fascinating history.
We hear about the closing routine at the station each evening, and the programme concludes with contributors revealing what Connolly Station means to them, and their hopes for its future.
Quotes from CONNOLLY STATION – A DAY IN THE LIFE
“Last year there was a girl – and I saved her life.” Derek O’Brien, station operative.
“It goes back to my time in short pants. I was brought up right beside the railway line at Sandymount Station, it’s in my blood.” David Houston, steam train enthusiast.
“During the 1916 Rising the station tower was taken over by British troops, and they were sniping up Talbot Street at the rebels who’d taken over the GPO.” Jane Cregan, Irish Rail.
“I loved the trains in Connolly – the smell of the oil and the diesel.” Barry Scully of Transdev, the Luas operator.
“The best part of being on a train was that you could get up and walk around – and mind everybody’s business but your own!” Mona Rogers, ninety-nine-year-old passenger.
“The most impressive rail journey I ever had was with the driver of the Eurostar from London to Paris, traveling at 300 kilometres an hour.” Darren Bowe rail network controller.
“I love Friday especially because you’ve everyone going away on holiday. Everyone’s in fantastic form.” Lisa Dunne, Manager, Been and Gone, coffee shop in Connolly station.
“We’ve had a few incidents with lost property. A fella lost a canoe. I don’t know how he left it, because it was about seven feet long!” Derek O’Brien, station operative.
Connolly Station – A Day in the Life can be listened to as a podcast on Documentary on Newstalk.
I joined with the mayor of Fingal, Seana O’Rodaigh, and Betty Boardman, the Fingal County Librarian, at a prize-giving ceremony at St Patrick’s School in Donabate.
My novel PAWNS was the chosen book for this year’s Battle of the Books event, and pupils in St Patrick’s were the winners of a 600 Euro book voucher, for their entry in a competition based on PAWNS.
The pupils were enthusiastic, and it was a great day of celebration.
Documentary on Newstalk recently aired the premiere of ‘The Bots’, my radio documentary about the National Botanic Gardens, and the lives of those who live, work, study, and relax there.
Using a lively mix of interviews, location recordings, sound effects and music, The Bots explores the stories behind one of Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions.
Director Matthew Jebb gives an overview of the role of the Botanic Gardens and explains how it hosts six hundred thousand visitors each year. Matthew also tell of its research role, and how the blight that caused the Potato Famine of the Eighteen Forties was identified by the then director of the Gardens.
Blathnaid Farrell, who grew up nearby, reminisces about the Gardens when she was a child, while librarian Alexandra Caccamo tells of a history going back much further, with some books in the library dating back to the sixteenth century.
Matthew Jebb talks of the joys of living on site, and tells the story of the Director’s Residence, which predates the founding of the Gardens in 1795.
Brendan Sayers gives an insight into the running of the glasshouses, and how tropical heat needs to be generated for some plant species.
Glyn Anderson and Charlotte Salter Townsend talk about the guided tours they give, with Glyn reflecting on the refreshment options available to the modern-day visitor.
Contributors and visitors reminisce lightly about their memories of the first thing they ever grew, while Ciaran Kavanagh and Alfreda O’Brien, who run the nearby Gravediggers pub, talk about the colourful associations between their premises and the Botanic Gardens.
John Mulhern, Principal of the Teagasc College of Horticulture, discusses how hundreds of students study at their Glasnevin site within the Gardens, while Felicity Gaffney, the manager of the Visitor Centre, gives details of the surprising range of cultural and artistic events that are staged each year in the fifty-acre grounds.
Matthew Jebb tell of the wildlife he’s encountered while living on site, and Colin Kelleher talks of his role as a taxonomist and the task of naming the vast numbers of specimens that have been catalogued in the Gardens.
The programme concludes with contributors revealing what the Botanic Gardens means to them, and their hopes for its future.
Quotes from THE BOTS:
“The first place we made for was the glasshouse. And when you went in the heat would just hit you. In those days you wouldn’t have central heating at home – so that was super.” Blathnaid Farrell, childhood visitor to the Botanic Gardens.
“Our back garden is about an acre and it backs onto the Botanic Gardens and the cemetery. The neighbours are basically the cemetery people and plants.” Ciaran Kavanagh, The Gravedigger Pub.
“One of the real pleasures of the job is that I wake up at work each morning.” Matthew Jebb, Director, Botanic Gardens.
“Our book collection extends back to the Fifteen Thirties.” Alexandra Caccamo, Librarian.
“The pub, the cemetery, the Botanics, it’s like the Bermuda Triangle – you do disappear in that triangle in Glasnevin, and before you know it, four hours have passed.” Alfreda O’Brien, The Gravedigger Pub.
“In the Herbarium there are about six hundred thousand dried specimens”. Colin Kelleher, Taxonomist.
“The world is changing quite a lot, and I think the big positive is that more and more people are paying attention to the natural world.” Charlotte Salter Townsend, tour guide.
“It took 25 years to put it together. There are 11 kilometres of glazing bars in this building, and it’s a work of art.” Matthew Jebb, Director, Botanic Gardens.
“I used to go into the hothouse – when I missed Italy.” Ciaran Kavanagh, The Gravedigger Pub.
The Bots can be listened to as a podcast on Documentary on Newstalk.
Drama on Newstalk recently aired the radio premiere of “IDLEWILD”, my radio adaptation of Jimmy Murphy’s stage play, in which the leaders of two feuding crime groups meet to explore the possibility of a radical sacrifice to end their bloody feud.
Starring Rex Ryan and Ruairi Heading, Idlewild was written by Jimmy Murphy, and adapted for radio and produced and directed by Brian Gallagher. The programme was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Television License Fee.
IDLEWILD can also be listened to as a podcast at Drama on Newstalk.
Brian Gallagher 