'WIND ACROSS THE GRASS' ON THE RADIO

'RORY' (BILL GOLDING) AND JUDGE - pic from the Wanderly Wagon website


My story 'The Wind Across the Grass' will be repeated on RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday the 23rd November at 7.45pm. This story won the 2002 Francis MacManus Award for me and it was partly inspired by an anecdote of my Da's. I nicked the title from a line in Nuala Ó Faoláin's novel My Dream of You (about which she was very gracious). I went on to use it as the title story for my first collection, The Wind Across the Grass.

Bill Golding is the actor who read my story. Irish people of my generation will remember Bill as the dashing Rory in Wanderly Wagon. I think every young wan in Ireland fancied Rory - that posh accent! The fringed suede jacket! Swoon! I met him after he had voiced the story and he is a total gentleman and still rather dashing!

Winning was one of the nicest things that's ever happened to me in my literary career. One doesn't enter competitions hoping not to win, so I can't claim it was 'totally unexpected' to win, but it was a huge and welcome surprise. I didn't live off my writing earnings at the time (I worked in the Western Writers' Centre then), so I spent the money (€3000!!!) on: 1) a family holiday to Portugal (it was fab); 2) a red leather Filofax; and 3) a china cabinet to house the great hunk of crystal which was part of the prize. I like awards that give a memento as well as cash, I must say; I also like ones that are named after writers. Ah, happy memories!

For those outside Ireland there is info here about how to listen to RTÉ Radio 1 online. Sunday's schedule is not posted yet so check back in the day before or on Sunday here. I won't hear it myself as I shall be in Paris. Have I mentioned that already?!

June Levine R.I.P.

I was sad to hear of the sudden death yesterday of Dublin writer June Levine. June was a novelist, journalist and feminist and she wrote Sisters, about the feminist movement in Ireland; A Season of Weddings (novel) and Lyn, with prostitute Lyn Madden. The latter was one of those books that we whispered about in school: 'Have you read it?'

I have huge admiration for the women who went on the 'Contraceptive Train' to Northern Ireland in 1971 (when I was an oblivious one-year-old) to bring back condoms for the women of the Republic, where they were banned. They had guts and grit. Rest in peace, June. Like that other great Dublin woman and writer who passed away this year, Nuala Ó Faoláin, you will be missed.