Great stories featured in Ireland’s Own
THE 11th Ireland’s Own Anthology of Short Stories and Memories is now on sale, featuring 40 stories from all over Ireland drawn from over 500 entries to the magazine’s writing competitions which have been running now for nearly 40 years, with a foreword by popular TV broadcaster and author, Mary Kennedy.
The Louth flag is kept flying this year by Geraldine Martin with her memoir Moving Things. A woodworm-infected old bookcase became a victim of a move into a new bungalow but it held a collection of old books and records that stirred a treasure trove of memories …
Geraldine was born in Birmingham and when she was eight the family moved to Shelagh in Louth where she grew up along the border. She is an artist based in Creative Spark in Dundalk, working as a self-employed graphic designer and illustrator. Her mother Lorna also writes and is an inspiration for Geraldine.
The Anthology is brought out by Ireland’s Own magazine, an Irish publishing phenomenon produced in Wexford town without a break since its inception in 1902, and still flourishing under the current guidance of editors Sean Nolan and Shay Tompkins. The book is compiled and edited by Phil
Murphy, retired Ireland’s Own editor.
The overall short story winner was Duty by Neil Brosnan from, Listowel and it certainly will resonate with many people as it deals with a daughter left by the rest of the family to care for her aging and ailing father. Neil was published for the first time in Ireland’s Own in 2004 and has had quite a lot of success since.
In her Foreword Mary Kennedy writes: ‘It’s been a very unsettling time and my wish is that this year’s Ireland’s Own Anthology will restore some confidence and provide some comfort to readers, reminding us that the tradition of storytelling continues as strongly as ever in this country, championed by the Ireland’s Own magazine since 1902.’
The Ireland’s Own 2020 Anthology of Winning Irish Short Stories and Memories is available through Ireland’s Own at 053-9140140 (at 00353 5391 40140 from overseas); through their website www.irelandsown. ie and also over the counter at the local offices of the The Drogheda Independent.