Thurles Information

While last year no Irish authors made the Man Booker Prize Long-list, this year three Irish authors including one from North Tipperary have been nominated, it was formally announced today. Co-published by The Lilliput Press and Doubleday Ireland, “The Spinning Heart,” is the début novel of Tipperary born Donal Ryan.

Donal Ryan was born in Burgess, a village here in North Tipperary, latter just a short distance from the shores of Lough Derg. Educated at St Joseph’s CBS in Nenagh, Donal, currently lives with his wife Anne Marie and his two children, just outside Limerick City. He claims to have written the first draft of this novel in the long summer evenings of 2010, and though set in a fictional village, his book makes mention of many of North Tipperary’s place names such as Nenagh, Roscrea, the Lookout, and Carney.

His story, which centres around the kidnapping of a child and the murder of a man, is set against a backdrop of surface tension, violence in the aftermath of recession and will be seen as speaking in particular for contemporary Ireland, possibly like no other novel to date. Wry, vulnerable, daring, human and evocative, this novel captures the language and spirit of rural Ireland and, with uncanny perception, articulates the words and thoughts of a current breathing, yet fractious generation.

“My father still lives back the road past the weir in the cottage I was reared in. I go there every day to see is he dead and every day he lets me down. He hasn’t yet missed a day of letting me down.” In Donal Ryan’s work, expect to find a stunning new voice in literary fiction, whose turn of phrase creates vivid pictures in an otherwise present day drab rural inward eye.

Authors Chosen

Seven of the 13 authors selected from some 151 books are female and three are début authors. The oldest author on today’s list, Jim Crace is aged 67 and has been previously nominated in 1997 for Quarantine, while the youngest nominee is the New Zealander, Eleanor Catton, aged 27.

The short-list of books chosen for the prize will be announced on September 10th and the winner will be announced later on October 15th. The winner will receive a prize of €58,000.

The latest publication, penned by the hand of Thurles native John G. O’Dwyer, entitled Pilgrim Paths In Ireland, is not just a mere guide book aimed at identifying Ireland’s ancient pilgrim paths. Instead each journey described, paints in words an entertaining narrative in itself, with the author setting out deliberately to carefully recount, in very much detail, his own personal experiences and feelings, as he completes each individual pilgrim route.

This is one publication that is going to be quickly ‘snapped up,’ by organisations, clubs & societies, anxious to raise charitable funding for developmental & other worthwhile project work & all seeking new and inventive ways to raise their much needed future funding & sponsorship.

A founding member of Mid-Tipp Hill Walkers, John G. O’Dwyer is a Thurles based author, Travel Consultant and Tourism Studies teacher, who has spent a quarter century leading, not just large groups through the Irish scenic uplands, but also mountain climbing groups in the UK, Europe and Africa.

Himself a keen hill walker and rock-climber, John consequently has a passion & a magnificent depth of understanding of Ireland’s wild and beautiful upland terrains. Since 2012, he has walked every step of the ancient pilgrim trails of Ireland from Slemish Mountain in the North-east, where many believe Christianity in Ireland had its primary dawning, to the tiny Skellig Michael Island, where in medieval times the known world ended.

This experience has enabled John to produce a comprehensive, readable and thoroughly entertaining guide to Ireland’s mystical trails, all  suitable for pilgrims, walkers, history lovers or those merely seeking an informative and entertaining read.

In his book, each route completed is described in minute detail, with directions as to the starting point, an estimate of the degree of difficulty, the likely time needed for completion, along with appropriate maps and warning alerts regarding any special problems that may be encountered en-route.

John also details, with some humour, the many fascinating and insightful characters he encounters along the way, from poets to pilgrims and peacemakers to pleasure seekers.  Twenty first century Ireland has in many ways rejected the practice of formal religion, yet on the pilgrim trails of Ireland O’Dwyer discovered  “a restless search for spiritual fulfilment that continues to reverberate into the 21st century.”

“Pilgrim Paths In Ireland,” is a first attempt to recount Ireland’s pilgrim paths and contains much to interest pilgrims, environmentalists, historians, those planning an Irish visit, along with casual readers seeking an informative, entertaining and humorous read.

John will launch his book at the Watermill, on Slievenamon Road, Thurles, on Wednesday 27th March at 8.30pm.

Nice opportunity to get an autographed copy of a truly enjoyable publication.