The End is coming.
The End is a collection of 15 short fictions, each sparked off by an encounter with the art of Nicolas Ruston.
I’m proud to be part of this project among the writers below. The book is available to pre-order from Waterstones.
A. J. Ashworth
Dan Powell
Michael Crossan
David Rose
Tania Hershman
Gordon Collins
Ailsa Cox
Tim Sykes
Zoe Lambert
Added note: Des Kenny of Kennys Bookshop & Art Gallery has selected my book as a recommendation for their international book parcels.
Buy my book Greetings Hero at Kennys.
I was over in Galway for the weekend of Oct 16th to be judge for the 7th annual Over the Edge Fiction Slam. It was a fantastic night, hearty thanks to Kevin Higgins & Susan Millar DuMars, and congratulations to the winner Rosaleen Hinchy.
Next morning I took off on shank’s mare to hunt down Des Kenny’s famous bookshop. Way back long ago it used to be a real-world bookshop, with a shopfront on a main street, – a real street – and a door, and you could walk inside. But the real world is in retreat these days. Reality used to be something always self-evident. Now it slips from our grasp. The virtual world gains power day by day. Kenny’s too succumbed to the Zeitgeist: move online or cease to exist in any plausible world. The war was not over; only the battlefield had changed. The fight for existence against monopolizing forces continues.
Kenny’s bookshop has been involved in the literary and artistic life of Galway since the 1940s. Today it continues to command a huge amount of respect in Ireland. Kenny’s makes its own selection book parcels of books for book clubs and readers internationally.
So I heard that the online presence has a real-world correlate, a premises and gallery somewhere out the Tuam road. I walked out and reached an industrial estate. I asked at a Subway Sandwich outlet if they knew where Kenny’s was, but they didn’t know. I asked at Elvery’s Sports. I asked at the ABC Bookshop beside Calbro Motor Factors, and I was perplexed to hear they they had never heard of Kenny’s Bookstore. My look of confusion caused a second flurry of questioning among the staff. Kenny’s yes, it was confirmed, they exist somewhere. Maybe the virtual world.
Onwards I walked, through industrial estates made for traffic. I scuttled across the road, carrying my large red suitcase. GolfsStyle, Elwood office interiors, Fat Tony’s Barber shop – what was a barbers doing here? Do cars need haircuts? I asked someone coming out if they knew of Kenny’s. Yes, of course, Kenny’s is straight down and to the left. I dug into the side pocket and pulled out a comb. Be prepared.
Kenny’s looked like any other commercial premises from the outside. But inside they have books. And Des aka Desi himself.
Des said: “We actually sell cheaper than Amazon on average. We can do that because we cut the overheads to almost zero.”
Des said: “We only actually make money on secondhand books, old books, collector’s items, rare publications.”
Des said: “I don’t actually look at reviews. I follow my own opinion.”
If you want to buy my book online, or any other book online, go to Kenny’s.
PS Kenny’s has the cheapest price anywhere for Greetings, Hero. They won’t actually earn money on it, but no workers will be exploited.
Delighted to announce I’ve been invited to give a Reading + Q&A at the Cork International Short Story Festival on Sept 24th.
I’ve been at the festival 4 or 5 times, but this will be the first time behind the mike. Though I won’t be needing a mike.
The official programme is out now.
I’ll be sharing an afternoon event with writer and musician Paul O’Reilly. Other writers in Cork for the festival include Kirsty Gunn, who just won the Edge Hill for her short story collection, Claire Keegan, Segun Afolabi, and Toby Litt.
Delighted that poet & journalist Joe Horgan gives my book a review at the Bogman’s Cannon.
Aiden O’Reilly & Rob Doyle in conversation with David Noone
Delighted to be sharing this event with Rob Doyle, author of the acclaimed “Here are the young men” and the musician and poet David Noone.
This is the first fiction reading in the new premises of Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street, across the road from Doyle’s pub, or just a few steps before Pearse Street Garda station.
Promises to be a lively and intimate reading + some penetrating questions afterwards from David Noone.
The entry fee is required by the shop to cover insurance and overheads, but a complimentary glass of wine will be provided. Get your tickets at the shop, online, or take the risk of turning up on the night.
Rob Doyle & Aiden O’Reilly
in conversation with
David Noone
and reading from their debut books
– complimentary glass of wine –
Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Tickets €6.00 available at the shop or online via Eventbrite
Rob Doyle
Rob Doyle’s first novel, Here Are the Young Men, was published in 2014 by Bloomsbury and the Lilliput Press. His second book, This Is the Ritual, will be published in January 2016 (Bloomsbury / Lilliput). Rob’s fiction, essays, and reviews have appeared in The Dublin Review, The Irish Times, The Stinging Fly, The Sunday Times, The Sunday Business Post, Gorse, and elsewhere. He studied Philosophy and Psychoanalysis at Trinity College Dublin.
David Noone
David Noone is a writer and musician currently living in Dublin. After having his first article published at the age of 15 in the now defunct arts revue “Stage Left” David’s poetry, short stories and journalism have appeared in a variety of places both in print and online, including a number in French translation. His show “David Noone sings Nick Cave” toured extensively around the UK and Ireland, and led to David sharing the bill with The Fall at Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival.
He is also known for his collaborations with American cult novelist Mark SaFranko. SaFranko’s album “Demons In The Mirror” released earlier this year, showcased many of these collaborations on which David was the primary lyricist.
He is currently working on his debut solo EP “The Night Porters Alibi”
On the table in Hodges Figgis
The definitive Irish Examiner review of Greetings, Hero.
It’s the only review I’ve gone back to read several times.
An earlier version of this review appeared on Dec 8th 2014. For reasons unknown, The Examiner decided to run it again, and the reviewer apparently revised it.
I like this new sentence in it:
The characters here are linked by their incredulity towards official narratives; belief in any “central source of validation” is forever beyond their reach.
Big stack of signed copies are on the tables in Hodges Figgis.
Valancourt The Viaduct reissue
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Irish Times Q+A