S. A. Dunphy
A voracious reader, Shane always liked crime. He was first published aged 11, getting a story in a collection by children for children, but he was so badly teased for writing it, that he didn’t try […]
Meg Grehan
A keen writer as a child, Meg stopped at college because she was too busy. When she left she was feeling a bit down, and she moved, with her girlfriend, to Donegal. “It was a snap […]
Molly McCloskey
THE endorsements on the back of Molly McCloskey’s new novel are not only eulogistic; they are literary gems. And when Molly’s publicist informs us that the editor had rarely received such universal praise for a book, […]
Maria Hoey
Maria left school at 16 and took an office job in Swords. “I always hated school. I took my Leaving Certificate myself, in 1979.” She married at 20, had a daughter at 21, but two years […]
Julie Parsons
BACK in 1998, Julie Parsons was something of a trailblazer. Her debut crime novel, Mary Mary, showed that Irish women could achieve international success with literary, yet very grisly crime fiction. Move on 19 years — […]
Faith Hogan
Faith wrote poems as a teenager, but as an adult got diverted. She has worked as a model, and in Penneys, and whilst taking her degree did a stint in arts administration, but since graduating, has […]
Debut Roundup. July/August
Inch Levels. Neil Hegarty. Head of Zeus. Going against trend, Inch Levels is a quiet meditative debut, though this isn’t immediately apparent. The opening prologue describes a crime scene. An eight year old girl, cycling home […]
Residency at Cill Rialaig
Many thanks to the Irish Writer’s Centre and the Arts Council for choosing me as one of the seven writers to have a 10 day residency at Cill Rialaig in wildest Kerry in November. I gather […]
Elizabeth Strout
AT a recent literary event, a young pregnant woman approached the author Elizabeth Strout, and said she felt scared. “She said, ‘I’m about to have a baby for the first time. I’ve read your books and […]
Jon McGregor
JON MCGREGOR was just 26 when he published his first novel back in 2002. When If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize, he was delighted, if surprised. But when two […]
Eithne Shortall
Eithne has always wanted to achieve things young. She was first published aged 11, receiving £20 for a poem. At 21, she joined The Sunday Times, but took a break after a year to live in […]
Phil Harrison
Brought up in the Presbyterian background in Belfast, Phil wanted to be a footballer – he played at a high amateur level throughout his twenties. Meanwhile, he worked for a consultancy, leaving after two years in […]