PALMERSTOWN - AN ANCIENT PLACE

My sister Nessa would have been 50 today; no doubt there would have been a party. She was an artist, set designer, historian, writer and mother, and she loved a party.

The image above shows her local history book about our hometown, Palmerstown in County Dublin. It was published posthumously in 2003, two years after Nessa's death, and we had a launch in Lucan Library. My parents, with the help of artist, historian and conservationist extraordinaire Peter Pearson, made sure the book made it to print because Nessa ran out of time. It is a well-researched, beautifully written book.

If you would like to buy a copy - €10 including P&P - send me your request for number of copies, plus name and address, to nuala AT nualanichonchuir DOT com. Anywhere in the world!

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While I'm at it, another sister, Aoife O'Connor, edited the magnificent Small Lives, which can be purchased here.

Three writers (so far!) in one family. What can I say? We have bookish parents :)

THE MOTH, THE FLY AND OTHER INCIDENTS

Six of the nine writers at Palmerstown Festival. Me yapping. What's new?!

I've been awol in Dublin, at the Palmerstown Festival (reading) and also at the IWC attending the latest Mindshift professional development meeting (highly recommended to published authors) and an info session on the Lit Bursaries with the Arts Council - v interesting. It seems the most important pieces of your applic is the 500 word proposal and the unpublished 10 page sample of work. It was enlightening to hear from the horse's mouth, Literature Officer Sarah Bannan, what constitutes a good application.

I also went to Dún Laoghaire and met my new accountant (yay - I finally need an accountant!) and I posted off the contracts for the film option on Miss Emily. That, I can tell you, has me dreaming :)

Anyway, this lovely issue of The Moth arrived this morning. I have a flash story in it inspired by a trip to Massachusetts last year. There is still time to enter the magazine's International Short Story comp. 30th June closing date. €3k first prize. Go here.

And this arrived too - the Fuchsia MacAree designed summer Stinging Fly. Ain't it purty? Part two of my Flash Fiction Showcase is featured with stories from lovely writers such as Paul McVeigh, Danielle McLaughlin, Alison Fisher and Ian Shine. Lovely summery reading for all.

FIRST PUBLIC READING IN MY HOMETOWN

I have my first public reading in my hometown in Palmerstown, Dublin, on next Wednesday the 25th June. I get to share a panel with my sister Aoife O'Connor (editor of Small Lives) and, believe it or not, also with my deceased sister, Nessa O'Connor (author of Palmerstown: An Ancient Place). Well, 'share' in the sense that Nessa's book will be honoured. Anyway, I am 11 years a-publishing so this feels rather overdue...

GOODBYE UNCLE JOHN

 

My sister Úna as a child, with John's hat and a fish and Rory, the dog

The final proofs of my novel You are gone back to the publisher as of half an hour ago. I'm quietly delighted. I spent all day yesterday with them, roaming around my homeplace in Mill Lane in Palmerstown in west Dublin, which is where the novel is set. I laughed and I cried re-reading the book and all I can hope for, I guess, is that my readers do the same.

While working on the proofs yesterday I got a phonecall to say my uncle John had died. John is my Ma's brother and, like both of my parents, he was born and bred in Mill Lane. He was self-taught at all the things he was good at and interested in: fishing, boating, shooting, fixing vintage cars, drawing, collecting. John had a mischievous streak but he was basically a kind person, old-fashioned in his ways. With his hobbies and interests, he made my childhood down by the river in Mill Lane richer and I thank him for that. John was always very interested in my writing, urging me to try to get stories on BBC radio, which he loved to listen to. I think he would have gotten a kick out of the novel being set in our homeplace. He had a peaceful death, in the company of his brother and sisters. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé.