Launch of “Tales From Derry, Kildare, and Beyond” by Pat Mullan in Naas library

It was a full house for the launch of Pat Mullan’s debut short story and poetry collection at Naas Library and Heritage Centre on Thursday last. With Mario Corrigan as MC, attendees enjoyed an entertaining evening filled with short stories, poems and song. Mary Ryan (from Kilteel and formerly of Tipperary) opened the event with her self-penned song, Sweet County Kildare, which will soon be available on Spotify.

What followed was a diverse and often humorous mix of short stories, memories, and poetry extracts from Pat’s collection.An appreciative audience clearly enjoyed the pieces read by Pat, his sisters Margaret and Bernie, his brother-in-law Eamon O’Donovan, Maria Higgins from the Naas Creative Writers Group, and Celine Broughal from the Wordsmiths Cill Dara Writers Group.

Pat’s brother in law Mickey Kane gave renditions of The Curragh of Kildare and I Wish I Was Back Home in Derry, songs that captured the spirit of both counties Kildare and Derry.

The stories and poems read on the night from Pat’s book featured a range of topics: the stressful incidents of life as a boarder at St. Columb’s College in Derry (The Refectory), young men caught up in the Troubles (The Lep), the perils of shoe shopping with your partner (Green Shoes), the trials of a country lad in search of a suitable life partner (Signals), growing up with an over-obsessive mother (Mother Perfection), innovative ways for men to avoid marital stress (Tranquility), dancing in the Galtymore (Out of Place), a bloody massacre in the shed (Blood on the Knife), the challenges of family Christmases (Eddie’s Place), and potato picking (Pickers).

Copies of Mullan’s collection can be purchased at Barker & Jones (Naas), Farrell and Nephew (Newbridge), Woodbine Books (Kilcullen), and Seanchaí (Kildare).Proceeds from the sale of the collection will be shared between local charity the Jack & Jill Foundation and Foyle Hospice in Derry. It is hoped to launch the collection at a Derry venue in the new year.